


Detective at Tokyo's Masquerade

by Kurai_Tora



Category: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: Akechi gets whipped, Being the MonaCar is suffering, Counter-Conspiracy, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossdressing, Kirijo Group sponsorship, Original Persona(s), Rise drives like crazy, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2019-12-07 18:36:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 51
Words: 111,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18238730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kurai_Tora/pseuds/Kurai_Tora
Summary: The suspicious exploits of Akechi Goro end up attracting his predecessor. With the unexplainable incidents, Naoto questions if there's another gate to a world like the Midnight Channel, so she must investigate. The Metaverse shall welcome the new participant of this rigged game.





	1. A growing suspicion

**Author's Note:**

> This will follow the P5 game, with Naoto and fellow inserts changing around some events. This fic can be found at FF.net too.

> The world is in a constant conspiracy against the brave. It's the age-old struggle: the roar of the crowd on the one side, and the voice of your conscience on the other.

-Douglas MacArthur

* * *

Shirogane Naoto had a bright mind that helped her solve the cases she took upon by analyzing the facts she managed to glean from her sleuthing. Many times she would hit a roadblock, but she persevered, paving her path to bring truth to light. The events that transpired in Yasoinaba years ago served to break her shackles of common sense, making her learn how to think out of the box.

Impossible and fantasy didn't affect her view, which made her be yet again be considered almost the second coming of Holmes. Now she had a new conundrum that her gut screamed out to solve. The new Detective Prince of this generation, Akechi Goro. At first, she just dismissed him as another target of media sensationalism, but as his name kept popping up, her instincts flared up, making her realize that there was something amiss.

Tokyo was under a strange surge of crimes, tied to the young man as in that he was the only one able to solve them. Naoto was running her eyes over her collected news clippings, seeing Akechi pop up almost as often as 'psychotic breakdown'. _"This seems off, but why?"_ She couldn't help but compare the breakdowns to the murders perpetrated by Tohru Adachi. The man was only convicted by his own confession, as there was no way to convince people that the TV World existed after Izanami's defeat.

She froze at that thought. _"Could there be another world...? It's not impossible..."_ Those bouts of psychosis were too situational, the people affected were supposedly perfectly sound of mind prior to the fact. If this world truly existed, then surely there was someone exploiting it for their self-gain, maybe it was Akechi himself, seeing how his fame was linked to the crimes of deranged people.

**Akechi Goro solves the case of lunatic bus driver!**

**Genius on the rise, Detective Prince Akechi strikes again! Public officer case brought to light!**

**Akechi Goro gives his theory on the source of the psychotic epidemic.**

She made up her mind, she would scout Tokyo for a possible entry point. She couldn't leave it be, her conscience was starting to weigh on her. _"Maybe the group can reunite for this case."_ She shook her head, she was the only unfettered, everybody else had full-time occupations that chained them down. Her virtue of being a detective was what enabled her to look into this.

_"First, I will need a base."_ She already had a convenient excuse to be transferred to Tokyo, her string of solved cases and bonifications were piled up in a safety net, affording her to rent a place for around a year. _"I will need to stay away from the spotlight that is those cases, who knows what lies under the water."_ Seeing how the police and people were more focused on the psychotic breakdowns, she might manage to stay under the radar.

_"Yongenjaya sounds like a good bet, a calm neighborhood and with affordable rents..."_ Naoto rubbed her eyes, feeling dozy. She reached out for her still steaming mug of coffee, hoping it would help her stay up a little longer. _"But I don't know if I can solve this alone..."_ She only prayed that she wasn't getting too over her head.

**~Looking cool Joker~**

Kurusu Akira pushed his glasses back from the slipped slant, trying to adjust to the feeling of wearing them. His eyes narrowed in annoyance, recalling the brutish drunkard with that woman he tried to rescue. The man had pulled legal action on Akira, claiming that he was the victim and the woman had backed his words.

That event made his mouth feel sour and bitter. Because he tried to do the right thing, he was now branded as a criminal, sent to Tokyo for probation. He wondered how his new school would be like, surely people would shun him and label him as society's scum. The people bustling in the wagon and the scenery flitting by made him bored, not even his pocketbook could do the job anymore.

A sudden weight on his shoulder startled him, someone ended using his shoulder as a pillow, but the person's identity was worse. Shirogane Naoto, an ace detective, he couldn't afford to anger her and get another black mark on his criminal history, so he sucked it up and braced himself for the remaining hours until the stop. He tried to distract himself by flipping through the news with his cellphone, only to see that it was chock full of articles on mental breakdowns.

_"That was useless."_ He decided to play some P***le & D***ons to pass time. The woman was eventually woken up by her phone while he did a gacha pull, apologizing to him once she saw her position, with him returning a half-assed 'no problem', too focused on the game. The pair of strangers lapsed into silence, all while the tram sped towards Tokyo.

**~Let's not do that today~**

Naoto checked the time, estimating that she had around thirty minutes until she arrived at the station. _"Let's see, which were the stations I had to catch? Aoyama-Itchome..."_ She was reviewing the map, keeping in mind that she had to stay out of notice. She wondered how this case would develop, she might even see the rise of another teen group, as her own did back then.

She felt the amused smile quirk her features, she might even lend her assistance to them. Soon the doors opened, releasing the people into the metro stop. She rose to her feet and set off, intent on bringing the truth behind the psychotic events to light. Following the signs overhead, Naoto wove her path in the milling crowd.


	2. Stranger in a foreign land

The beeping of a cellphone alarm rang in the darkened room, making its owner get up with stiff muscles. Naoto wasn't in the mood to make breakfast, remembering that she had passed by a quaint cafe house. _"It should be a good bet."_ She even could use the round trip and pass by the convenience store to get supplies. After that, she would have to get to the police station and get a case to work in.

The brisk morning air helped to blow away her sleepiness and there were few people in the streets, a contrast to the more urban areas. She looked up, 'Leblanc', she had reached her target. Luckily the plaque said 'open', so she pushed the door, getting a waft of coffee grinds and curry spices. "Oh, your face is new around here." The owner(?) was at the counter, raising a brow at her. "Hm? Aren't you...?"

"Yes, I am the previous Detective Prince, Shirogane Naoto." She was somewhat used to this routine speech. "I want black coffee." The man simply nodded and started brewing while the woman took a seat by the counter. _"I should check for anything that seems off, who knows what the current trigger is."_ She had considered asking the man for info on rumors, but that might make him suspicious, she may need to get some sliver of trust first.

The steaming cup was delivered, breaking her out of her thoughts for now. "Mm, this is quite good, Boss, you got a new regular." The man chuckled with pride, telling her she should give the curry a try as well. Naoto heard shuffling and steps coming from the upper floor, prompting the owner to make her hurry up. "I almost forgot. I got a brat under my wing and have to deal with him. Sorry for the inconvenience." Naoto shook her head at his apologetic face, only to catch sight of the 'brat'.

"Ah/You-" Akira felt tense, would he need to walk the line of 'law-abiding citizen' even closer? He couldn't help but be distrustful of members of the police force. "You know each other?" Sojiro had furrowed brows, crossing his arms and staring at Akira. "We simply took the same train here, it's just a coincidence." She finished the cup and went out, letting Sojiro close shop and take Akira to the school.

**~Bonafide Monafide~**

Akira rubbed his eyes, provoking Sojiro into nagging about having to manage his sleep schedule. _"Let him speak, he isn't the one who just had his life go to shit."_ He pulled out his phone and stared at the strange app. _"Neither did he have to face that bizarre dream."_ Trickster, Velvet Room, the long-nosed man...

And there was the event with the blue fire at Shibuya, where he saw himself with golden eyes. Did he go insane and didn't notice? The stint at Shujin wasn't any better, seeing how even his homeroom teacher disdained him and labeled him as a mere troublemaker edging on hoodlum, she was obviously not looking forward to having him in her classes.

To make things worse, there was the way the principal had talked him down, casting doubt on his honest life, it was frankly frustrating. Now even Sojiro pitied him, however little managed to get past his 'don't rock the boat' stance. Akira gritted his teeth, he was sick of how society dropped people like him like rotten food, even if they were completely innocent.

Who knows, maybe that teacher was currently griping about him among her fellow employees. The grapevine would then turn the entire school against him. For now, he could only mess around with his phone, seeing how Sojiro's car was in the middle of a huge traffic jam, probably thanks to the metro accident currently on the radio news.

**~Speak up, Panther!~**

Naoto had managed to get some low-key incidents to investigate, thankful for once at the tendency of a new office looking down on her skills. As long she completed the procedures in a timely manner, she wouldn't have budget issues. She was currently searching for clues on a stalker who was leaving letters that were bordering on death threats. _"A scorned partner? Or a fanatical admirer?"_

The woman was questioning the people of the apartment complex, letting her fame loosen the tongues of the gossipers. "Oh my, that girl was always a heart-breaker... I wouldn't be surprised if it was Kurata-kun..." "I've seen her going off to those questionable places at the red-light district, did she mix with the wrong people?" Every statement that gave a hint or a name was jotted down.

 _"This isn't something that can be closed up in one day..."_ She had gone to check the alleys, searching for a possible route that the stalker could traverse unnoticed. When she walked past a window- "Meow!" She felt a weight falling on her head before getting a paw to the face. A cat had just used her as a break-fall. It was currently staring at her, big blue eyes against pitch black fur. _"A stray animal? No, it's collared."_

A white-tipped tail trailed on the air, the cat was apparently sizing up Naoto. Then it suddenly broke eye contact, its mitted paws hitting the asphalt as it wandered off to god knows where. _"That was strange..."_ The feline had seemed to gauge her, but why? She took off her hat and brushed off the dirt and fur the animal got on it. _"Whatever, it must be my mind playing tricks."_ She checked her wristwatch, it was close to noon, maybe Leblanc was open, or else she could get take-out.

**~Cleanup complete!~**

Akira wasn't looking forward to school time, having the looming foreboding that he was about to face the hell of human nature. He shook his head and sighed, he had social expectations to meet. He got dressed quickly, the metro schedule might have delays, so he couldn't afford to lose a ride.

Once again he was faced with Naoto, but she was distracted by her meal and her phone, apparently having quite the IM chat with how the screen kept scrolling down. He intended to simply go to the station, but Sojiro stopped him, giving curry for breakfast. He ate quickly and thanked Sojiro, rushing out.

Meanwhile, Naoto watched the ALL CAPS argument between Yosuke, Teddie, and Kanji, shaking her head with amusement. It had started with Yosuke making a comment of how he looked forward to beach time and Kanji agreed, but Teddie just had to poke the hornet's nest by mentioning Operation Babe Hunt and predicting the boys would screw it up again, which made the chat catch on fire.

She opened the alt chat with only the girls, only to blanch at the sight. _"Oh no, no. No, no, no..."_ Chie had pitched a new idea for a recipe and Rise had thrown 'improvements' in the mix, all while Yukiko chirped about how she would try making it for Yu. Naoto did a quick prayer for her senpai's stomach. _"Maybe I should burn incense at the shrine."_

A customer entered and sat by the counter, striking up a conversation with Sojiro. Naoto sharpened her hearing, he might provide some good pieces of information, even if those were only rumors. "... went crazy all of a sudden... nervous breakdowns during interrogations..." She started to wonder how those victims were chosen.

**~It's time for some bloodshed~**

Akira grumbled under the marquise, just his luck to get rain right on his first day, and he lacked an umbrella. His phone got a foreign ringtone, so he checked it, only to see the suspicious app's icon take up the entire screen. _"Did it activate by itself?"_ Then he saw someone come get cover by him. _"Oh, she looks quite foreign."_ The girl caught him staring, but just offered a tiny polite smile before both resumed staring at the rain.

Soon a car pulled up, it seemed that the driver was a teacher of Shujin, going by his jersey, offering the girl a ride. Akira got the offer as well, but he refused, something in the man made his skin prickle. "Damnit... Screw that pervy teacher." A thuggish guy with the same uniform as Akira was stomping his feet in anger. When Akira questioned the outburst, the guy got defensive and accused him of wanting to snitch.

But once they started chatting, the guy managed to figure Akira was a transfer, informing him of the teacher's, Kamoshida's, tendencies of strutting by Shujin as if he were the king of a castle. Akira glanced at his phone and sighted the clock. "We should go, or we'll be late." The weird app was still on, but he figured it was no big deal. "Yeah, let's hoof it. Ngh-!" The pair felt woozy for a moment as if they had just gotten off a twisty roller-coaster.

"That was freaky, was the milk spoiled?" They shook their heads to dispel it. "Hey dude, I know a shortcut, come on." As they walked the narrow alley, Akira felt that he stepped on something strange, but there was nothing. "Whoa!" The blond thug was gawking at the imposing castle, stating that they had taken the correct route, then they noticed the plaque, Shujin Academy. "What's goin' on?" The duo decided to go to the castle and find answers.

It was a huge mistake. They got thrown into the dungeon, faced a quasi-naked Kamoshida, and almost died. Akira flexed his hand and touched his face, still recalling that he ripped off flesh with the mask, just to awaken some strange power. Then there was the talking... cat? Some kind of critter had barked orders to the teens and spouted things about Personas or whatever.

He was now facing the fifth period of his class, hearing the slanderous mutterings aimed at him. And there were those wondering about him and the girl sitting in front of him, Takamaki. Oh well, let them speak, he didn't care. - Once classes were over, he felt a surge of nausea crash on him, making him briefly glimpse the castle and his teacher asked if he had health issues before starting a nagging session.

Ryuji came just in time to save his ears from getting rotted off by the monotonous lecture, calling him up to the rooftop. Too bad he had to hear the principal and Kamoshida argue over his attendance. - As he had expected, Ryuji wanted to talk about the mysterious castle, asking out loud if that was just a freaky shared daydream. Then he did something Akira didn't expect. "You know, we're quite similar."

"I feel that we're gonna get along just fine as this school's troublemakers." He felt oddly drained after going through that weird sequence of events. But the silver lining was that he might have one person in Shujin who treated him with respect. Sakamoto Ryuji was truly similar to him, scorned by the general crowd. Although he did almost get the police's aggro on them by speaking like a lunatic or a druggie on a high.

**~You look exhausted~**

"Night stakeouts are the worst..." The woman was keeping watch for a possible appearance of a petty thief that was raiding this convenience store, keeping hold of a St*rbucks cup. _"Where's the guy that would switch with me?"_ She blinked hard to make the Sandman scram. A movement in an alley caught her eye, it was the cat who messed with her the other day, it had a smile on its muzzle and its whiskers were twitching.

"Hmp... That castle seems to hold some clues, I wonder if I can get that frizzly-hair to help me." Naoto froze, cup half raised. _"Did the cat just speak?"_ Her lucky break was that she didn't start drinking, she might have spat the coffee with the surprise. But before she could catch it, the cat dashed away with peppy steps. _"Castle? And who is this frizzly-hair?"_ She hoped to find the animal soon, she now had the thief in her sights.


	3. A beckoning mystery

Naoto applied a balm on her bruised arm, cringing slightly at the pangs of pain before covering the area with a patch. The thief had managed to get one good blow on her before she took him down and her replacement arrived. At the moment she was reading the news on her phone, seeing yet more psychotic cases until an article caught her eye. _"Minister of Transport will be resigning due to the accident?"_ She felt that she might have found a string leading to more clues.

She pulled back some of the clippings she got and combed the news for anything suspicious. _"Wait, the scale is too large..."_ She gulped, whoever were the people using the other world, they must be part of a larger net, she kept finding many correlations between the dates of the breakdowns and the dates of certain people's fall of grace or resignations. _"Tsk, there was a monster under the surface..."_ She had written down some names that had piqued her attention.

Business CEOs, rising starlets, prominent investigators... She shook her head, drawing an unpleasant scenery in her mind. _"A hired hand, it's like an indirect hitman."_ While seemingly unrelated to the victims of breakdowns, the ones hit with the aftershocks ended up taking severe damage to their images. _"Wait, could the culprit want to come after me?"_ She felt a drop of sweat run down her temple, praying that the events of Yasoinaba helped her stay safe.

Politicians and members of public organs of the government were the most important ones, losing popularity or getting kicked out from their posts, all while bolstering the fame of a single man besides that detective. Masayoshi Shido. _"Is there a deal going on?"_ There would be problems if that was the case, and even if there wasn't, what would be the motivation for the criminal to aid the man with rising the steps towards the post of Prime Minister?

**~Witness my resolve!~**

Predictably for Akira, Sojiro had been waiting for him, arms crossed and a frown knitting his brows. "The school had something interesting to say." The old man gave the teen a side glance while disappointedly shaking his head. "Late enough to miss all but one period? I had expected better after what you told me." When the youth was about to defend himself, Sojiro waved his hand. "Spare me your excuses. Actions speak louder, so just behave yourself. You only need to ride out this probation, nothing more."

The man then closed up the place, only leaving the option to go to sleep. Akira laid awake on his bed, feeling a lingering heat under his skin and the feeling of claws prodding at his senses. "O, host of mine... Doth thou not yearn to unleash the power given by thy mask? ... Very well, I shall leave thee alone... for now." If he recalled right, that was Arsène. _"I feel heavy..."_ He threw the covers over his body and closed his eyes.

He cursed in his mind, he was back at the damn jail in his mind. Caroline heaped liberal abuse on his hearing while Justine looked over her clipboard before calling attention to Igor's words. "Our master wishes to speak with you." The long-nose seemed to be pleasantly surprised that Akira had awakened his abilities, stating that the 'rehabilitation' could get underway, whatever it meant for Akira, not giving further details and only saying cryptic mutterings.

Akira scratched his head once he was mostly awake, wondering what the beings in his dream wanted from him. _"Fate and awakening...?"_ He huffed, he didn't have the leisure to be involved in supernatural shenanigans, he was a student in probation and well up shit creek without a paddle. _"Palace... Thief... Metaverse..."_ He could hear the rain, which left him slightly moody. His mood only worsened after being squished in the metro and getting cold winds to the face.

Like yesterday, people were muttering about Akira and making rumors about his background. To him, it was just white noise that accompanied the rain. When Ushimaru asked him a question, the class went astir because he had answered correctly, as if a delinquent couldn't have book smarts. _"I should go see Ryuji once it's over."_ The sight of Kamoshida in the hall served only to spark the memories of that castle, besides that, his clearly sleazy demeanor towards a female student irked Akira.

**~Brace yourselves!~**

Naoto was munching on a snack while walking along a fellow detective, both were tasked with checking the scene of vandalism and break-in. "You're doing well for someone who just arrived." The guy had been getting in her nerves with his cocky behavior, bragging about how she could leave things to him. "Heh, if I had gotten into law enforcement earlier, I might have been the previous Detective Prince instead of you." The woman just took a deep breath and walked faster, the local of the incident was close by. The small store was thrashed, with the aisles toppled over and broken glass all over.

From what she could see, the criminal threw a brick at the cameras to not get identified, then rammed open the door to commence the ransacking. "I'm sure this is the handiwork of a teenager." Her colleague was inspecting the damaged register, shaking his head with faux sadness. "Spoiled brats who don't know the difficulties of adult life only cause problems." She chose to ignore his remarks and went out of the shop to see if she could find any intact cameras from other businesses which could have footage of the crime.

"What a disaster... It had to happen just when I was about to balance the till for the new week..." As the man questioned the owner about the state he found the place, Naoto was looking over the list of personnel, holding in mind that someone with insider knowledge could have targeted the day before the cash unload. _"Let's jot down some of these names, they might show up in the database."_ She would pay special attention to the ones who had just been hired.

"Are you done there?" The burly guy hurried Naoto, wanting to question the other shops and find out if an employee had seen suspicious movements lately. "Yes, just let me put these away." Apparently, there was a small gang targeting shops and creating an environment of unease for the citizens. "Those delinquents started it all a few months ago... Can't you guys make them stop?"

**~It's the basic of the basics~**

Ryuji had convinced Akira to come with him to the castle again. Honestly, the spectacled one didn't expect any real result but played along. - Yup, no castle to be seen, even though they had retraced their steps. Unless... Akira asked Ryuji to check his phone, thinking about Igor's words about the navigator and giving it to people who could aid him. "Now that you said it, I think I heard a notification coming from you back then. Stuff like 'return to the real world' or the like."

When Akira was about to confirm this line of thought, Ryuji snatched his phone off his hand and spotted the creepy app, opening it and finding out a search log. "Let's boot it up. What could go wrong?" Talk about taunting fate, the air shimmered like during a sweltering day and things seemed to blur together for a moment as the school morphed into the castle. Akira checked his new outfit, finding it easy to move in and taunting Ryuji with a smirk at his hint of jealousy.

The critter of yesterday popped up as well, chiding the duo for kicking up a racket and stirring up the Shadows. Morgana gave them the explanation for the school being warped into a castle, it was how Kamoshida viewed it. When Ryuji demanded more details, the cat simply dismissed him as a moron. "What did you say?!" The blond was about to tackle the cat, but a scream of agony made him halt. "It's the slaves trapped here."

The idea of his classmates having to face Kamoshida's wrath made Ryuji's blood boil, that wasn't something he'd simply nod and accept. "Monamona, take us to them!" Morgana saw the fire in his eyes. "Fine, but only if your friend comes along." Akira wasn't eager to risk his neck again, but he knew Ryuji would go even without him, so there should be someone to ensure the blond didn't get himself killed. "Fine, lead the way."

That was yet another bad decision, having gotten themselves in a situation where the only option was to flee again. Ryuji even awakened his own Persona and got a thuggish set of clothes. But now they had a measure of the sadism perpetrated by Kamoshida, Ryuji felt confident they could put a stop to his abuse of the volleyball team. Although Akira did feel a smidgen guilty for ditching Morgana.

As they took their sweet time waiting for the rush of the chase subside and recover their bearings, the blond revealed that Kamoshida had leaked the brunet's criminal record to the school. "Those rumors you heard since yesterday? That son of a bitch was who started it all." Akira decided that what was done was better to leave alone, he didn't even expect a normal school life.

Still, Ryuji wanted to make up for dragging him around, so the boys went to a beef bowl restaurant. Once there, the blond explained that the volley rally in the following day could be an opportunity to exploit. _"Hm? Where did this card come from?"_ He had glimpsed a tarot card between his fingers right after Ryuji had exclaimed that they were now in this mess together.


	4. Scouting and discoveries

Once again Akira faced the prison in his dreams, receiving the advice to forge bonds with people so he could better harness his potential. So that's why his bond with Ryuji created that item, and the reason he now held the Fool card. He wondered about the number of confidants he could attain, wishing to keep himself safe from harm.

"Kuku... So that's the kind of host I managed to steal for myself... I have high expectations from thee."

Akira got up with a wild bed hair, looking like a sparrow nest. _"Oh yeah, today's the rally... Ryuji said to get evidence against Kamoshida."_ He fought valiantly against the rebel strands, but his hairstyle still ended up as 'windblown'. _"Well, not that I care."_ After putting on his school uniform, he went downstairs to get coffee and bread, courtesy of Sojiro. "Remember, no playing hooky." The old man seemed to be daring Akira to rebuff this statement. "Silent treatment, huh?"

"I'm going." Akira flipped the plaque to 'open' and set for the station, briefly checking the Metanav icon. Ryuji had messaged him and said that he got the Nav app too and that it kept coming back from deletion. _"So that guy doesn't want us to stay on the sidelines..." -_ The students were distractedly commenting their ideas about the impending rally, some weren't eager to get a volleyball to the face from a former pro, while others were excitedly waiting for the chance to see the coach in action.

Classes passed by fast, with the homeroom teachers reminding the students to go to the gymnasium and attend the volley games. Akira and Ryuji were sitting by a wall, watching their classmates play against the teachers. They were pretty darn bored, being forced to watch the students get wrecked by Kamoshida. "Oh, she's still the odd one out..." The blond mumbled this at the sight of Takamaki, but his friend didn't pry, sensing it was a touchy spot. "Well, blonde hair does stick out like a sore thumb, like you."

Then the mood of the room shifted when Kamoshida geared up for a spike- *THWACK!* The onlookers gasped when a boy got downed, with the culprit telling some students to take his victim to the nurse. Ryuji ground his teeth at the sight and grabbed the ball that rolled towards him. "Buddy, we'll make him pay..." He threw the ball back to the players. "Let's go, his mug is making me sick..." The pair of outcasts got up and went to the vending machines.

Once they were sure that nobody was paying attention, Ryuji began his tirade about the coach, enraged at his peacocking and blatant violence, Mishima could have suffered a grave injury until where they knew. "These games are only to make people kiss his ass!" Akira didn't refute and reminded his friend to watch his volume. "What do you have in mind? I don't think it will be easy to discredit him" Ryuji scratched his head, his plan was quite simplistic.

"We'll look around and find the guys that douchebag sees as slaves. Then we'll make them reveal the bastard that is Kamoshida." The blond was very sure that all the slaves could be found around the grounds, they just had to find them. "That asshole won't even see this coming." Akira frowned, if the man was such an obvious abuser of his authority, then why weren't there anyone crying out about the matter? He hatched a secondary plan, they needed material evidence too.

Besides that, Akira doubted that the club members would snitch on Kamoshida, much less to pariahs like him and his partner. "Ryuji, do you think you can snap pics without them noticing?" The blond made a confused face. "But ain't we gonna convince them to 'fess up?" Akira recalled that detective who attended Leblanc, wondering if he could steer her against Kamoshida, then he explained his plan to his friend. "Erm... you think she'll listen to you?" The blond kicked a stray pebble, wondering if the detective would see their point. "Let's try that if my idea fails, 'kay?"

**~My fuuuuur!~**

Sojiro was flicking through the channels, trying to find anything interesting. "Excuse me, can you return to that one with the idol?" He glanced at his customer. "I wouldn't have pegged you as a fan of hers. Just a sec." Naoto let out a chuckle. "She's an old friend, I'm curious to see how she's doing." Kujikawa Rise was being interviewed about her latest gig and the host was now reading some fan suggestions for questions. "... Your fans want to know about your ideal type in a man..." The young idol flushed slightly at those words, making her friend watch with amusement.

Naoto leaned on her chin, staring up at the screen. "I wonder if I should go see her, now that we're in the same city." Sojiro made no comment, simply cleaning the tables and checking his supplies. _"I've searched the area, but I didn't see anything that looked off."_ She swished her mug, drawing up theories of what the cat had meant by a castle. _"Maybe... wait, that sounds quite ridiculous."_ Yet she couldn't help but wonder if the animal had a role similar to the white rabbit of Alice, having the ability to take people to the other side.

 _"Well, the only concrete proof that I have of another world is that talking cat."_ Finding the animal would be an ordeal, Tokyo was big and she was only one person. And if she were to sum it with the possibility that the cat could escape capture by slipping into that dimension, then she would have an impossible undertaking. Sojiro reacted with a start when Naoto began hitting the counter with the handle of the spoon, sporting quite the pitiful expression and letting out a tortured sigh. _"Talk about searching a needle in a haystack..."_

**~Oh Skull, you're pathetic...~**

Morgana was prowling about the school, keeping his eyes on the faces of the people passing by. _"Daring to ditch me after my courteous lessons... I'm going to show those imbeciles that they messed with the wrong person!"_ The animal stealthily moved around the school grounds, there seemed to be an event that sent people into a tizzy. _"I'm sure that if I look around, I'll find that oaf and that Wild-card."_ There could be no mistakes and he couldn't get spotted, for the adults would send him to the city pound and there might be bullies who would torment him.

But it seemed that he wouldn't have success today, not with how people moved around like an anthill. _"Where would be a nice spot to nap in?"_ Morgana checked one of the bigger trees and escalated it, fussing around in the base of the larger branches for a nice place. _"Yup, hidden from sight, weak wind and just enough space to curl in."_ He snorted at some dust that got on him and watched the students pass by him, unknowing of his presence.

**~No need to be reckless~**

As Akira had guessed, none of the obviously injured members of the volley club were willing to open their mouths, too afraid of repercussions and expecting that Kamoshida's name would let them get ahead in life. But he managed to eavesdrop on an interesting conversation, the friend of Takamaki had expressed concern for him, the delinquent transfer. At least Ryuji had followed his advice and took pictures of the bandaged students. If they pooled together the images, Akira might get to convince the detective to take action.

As he waited for Ryuji in an empty area of the patio, a girl approached him. "You're... Takamaki, right?" The girl began questioning his behavior and was aggressive about it, making the teen wonder what she hoped to achieve. "Whaddya want with my bro?" Ryuji was scowling at Takamaki, so she started questioning the reason he was so friendly with the transfer student, so Akira went to his defense. "He's my friend, Takamaki, even if we don't attend the same classes. Can't I have one?" The duo was staring down the girl.

"A-anyway, what do you want with Kamoshida?" She became apprehensive, she couldn't help but let the rumors get to her. "Eh? Oh yeah, figures that Kamoshida's girl would hound us." The girl got incensed and Ryuji was starting to get sparked up. Akira saw the blondes act like dogs separated by a gate until Ryuji said something that took her off guard. "Behind my back...?" Akira motioned with his head for Ryuji to drop the subject, but she tried to get a few more stabs in.

"Just so you know, nobody in this school will help you. I'm just warning you, that's all." Ryuji scoffed at that and Akira had a derisive side glance. "We never thought it would happen." Once she departed in a huff, Ryuji decided to clarify that he had known the girl since middle school, that was the reason he made the comment back in the gym. "Anyways... It looks like we'll have to go with your plan." Akira nodded. "But I did get a name, Mishima. It sounds like he's the one getting the brunt of Kamoshida."

Sure enough, Mishima was the one who got the ball to the face, but even he was unwilling to admit the existence of the abuse. To make matters worse, Kamoshida had caught sight of them and used his bulk to intimidate Ryuji and warned Akira to keep his head down. Using a facade of a concerned coach, the man told Mishima to head the practice and subtlely insinuated he'd get Akira and Ryuji kicked out if they made trouble. "That shitstain..."

Mishima had a defeated face, revealing to the pair of friends a terrible secret of the school, as everyone with the power to deal with Kamoshida simply sucked up to him and kept sweeping any indication of his violence under the rug and held the voices of the students gagged. "You don't understand what we're going through, nothing will help. If anything, you will make it worse." As Mishima ran off, Akira saw the pain in Ryuji's eyes and his disbelief. "Do you still want to take my suggestion?" The blond hung his head with frustration. "The way things are, that seems to be our best shot."

**~Beat them down!~**

Naoto was laying on her sofa and staring at the ceiling, tracing routes through Tokyo in her mind so she could do her job and search for the cat in one motion. The sooner she could start investigating the inner workings of the other world, the better it would be. _"Wait, both times I found it, I was..."_ She got up and opened the city map, pinpointing the two spots where the cat had met her. _"Now, if I trace a line through here..."_ Her eyes widened at the coincidence before her.

She mused if her hunch was correct, recalling her thoughts about a new band of teenagers dealing with paranormal happenings. _"If that does happen, then history will have a new cycle."_ There was a big landmark close to the line she made, Shujin Academy. _"And maybe the school could be the castle... But how does the two correlate?"_ She could only take a leap of faith and check the location, if she was wrong then she'd simply scratch that off a list of places to examine.

She crossed her arms and mulled over the facts, deducing that the one dubbed 'frizzly-hair' by the cat was most probably a student of Shujin, if the animal was really stationed there. Naoto yawned and rubbed her eyes, the office was working her to the bone. The only thing keeping them from being harsher was the fact she did bring results, so there was little justificative to keep a closer grip on her leash. _"But I can't afford to lower my guard. Who knows until where that network can reach..."_


	5. Pussyfooting around danger

 Morgana blinked away the sand in his eyes, feeling the sunlight on his fur. _"Very well, shall we find those fools?"_ He shook off the bark dust on him and groomed his coat. Today was calmer, students milled into the classrooms and were moving in an orderly fashion. He scratched his ear, whiskers twitching as he searched for two faces in the crowd. _"I shall give them a lesson on giving due respect. I was the one who saved their skins, after all."_

He jumped off the tree once there were no people walking about, deciding to check the second floor of the building, having scouted the third floor yesterday. He stretched his spine and flexed his paws, it was time to go vent navigating. _"But that's easy for a magnificent thief such as me."_ After cockily puffing out his chest, he padded towards the classrooms, paying attention to the general staff and the patrolling teachers.

Sometime later~ Morgana was smiling with pride, having found his targets. Now he only had to wait for a chance to contact them, when nobody else was around. He was currently sneaking in the patio, having gone out of the grounds to get some food. "... Shouldn't you be at the practice now?" His pupils dilated in excitement, it was the pretty lady from the castle, the real one! He crouched behind some cover, hearing her chat with another girl.

But what he ended up listening made him realize a fact, the friend was one of Kamoshida's victims. It was obvious, given she was all bruised, far beyond what should be tolerable. His kitten heart contracted in sympathy for the injured girl, seeing how the light in her eyes was dimming. _"I have to convince those guys to help me. I can't falter here."_ Besides being a thief, he was also a chivalrous soul, he wouldn't stand by while unjust happenings took place before his eyes.

The lack of joy in the girl's voice twisted the knife in Morgana's gut, Kamoshida had to go down. And the call the blonde received made his hackles rise, having caught the tone of that detestable man from the speaker. _"I will not fail. That's my resolve."_ He sunk into his hideout when a pair of male teenagers arrived at the vacated spot, snarling at the way they referred to the blonde. _"What a bunch of air-wasters..."_

**~Throwdown!~**

Akira reread the messages from Ryuji, musing if Takamaki would really spill the beans after the confrontation from yesterday. He had missed the chance to find Naoto by a tiny sliver, she had just departed when he got to Leblanc, according to Sojiro. And she wasn't there in the morning. _"I just need to get back earlier."_ He was on his way to the school patio, hearing the rumor mill craft outrageous theories about him. _"Hm? That girl is..."_ From the way she was bruised and with the chat he overheard, she was Suzui Shiho, the volleyball club member Ryuji mentioned.

She was awfully nice even to him, the infamous delinquent, apologizing to him and asking him to not let the grapevine get to him. "It's not bothering me. I don't care about their opinions." Her face showed a measure of understanding. "My best friend is a bit like you, people avoid her because of her looks..." Then the girl apologized again for wasting his time. "Don't sweat it." She excused herself and went to her club, while Akira went to meet Ryuji.

The blond was steaming with frustration, having attempted to get someone to confess and failed yet again. "We should go after Kamoshida!" Akira shook his head. "We both know it will only end badly. Let me try contacting that detective first." Ryuji scratched his head. "Yeah, the pics... Too bad we can't tell her about the castle too... But if even that fails..." Akira wondered about what Morgana said about distorted desires. "And if we used the Metanav?"

If the two Kamoshidas were really linked, maybe beating one down would make the other suffer some changes. "You wanna go after that king? You think it will work?" Morgana took that as a cue to show himself and jumped on the table, surprising the duo. "I came to collect your debt, you now have to help me as I did with you." The cat scolded the teens for ditching him. "The cat's talking!" Morgana restated that he was no cat. "How did you come to the real world? Does that mean you got a phone?" Akira facepalmed at that, talking of second-hand shame.

"Are you hearing it too?" Just to mess with him, Akira let out a 'meow', getting an outburst for this move. "Anyways, I've heard your woes. Frizzly-hair was almost on the mark, talking of going after that other Kamoshida." Ryuji was getting annoyed at the haughty tone. "So it IS you..." Morgana just leveled a flat gaze at the blond. "You doubted me-" Akira slapped a hand over its snout, there were people passing by, talking about finding a cat. "I heard meowing from this direction."

The boys now figured that they were the only ones who could understand Morgana's speech. "So, we can really deal with Kamoshida by using the castle?" Morgana was scoffing at Ryuji for his questions. "We better move, this place is too in the open." Ryuji crammed the cat into Akira's bag, getting protests from both. "How dare you! Manhandling me like a ragdoll!" - Once on the rooftop, Morgana preened his ruffled fur, irritated with Ryuji. "As I was saying, to deal with Kamoshida, you should attack his castle." With it being the distorted version of the school, Morgana believed that anything that happened in the castle would influence Kamoshida.

By making the castle go away, the man's desires would fade as well. "It's basically forcing a change of heart. I believe that then Kamoshida will confess his crimes, all by his own volition." The teens were impressed with the mechanics of what the cat dubbed as 'Palaces'. "To make it even better, the castle's disappearance means that our involvement won't be found out." Morgana basked in the admiration of the duo. "If you want to learn more, then you must agree to aid me."

The youngsters locked eyes, agreeing that this was the best scenario they could wish for. "Alright, then." But the cat wasn't done. "Just keep this in mind, humans need desires to live." Akira gulped at what the cat insinuated. "The erasure of the Palace could have severely detrimental effects, such as draining all the will to live." To put it simply, Kamoshida might as well become a vegetable, this idea made the boys grimace. "I don't want to kill a person..."

Akira might be labeled a criminal, but he was no murderer. Morgana shook his head, he needed them to have solid resolves. "I'll give you time to think about my proposal. I'll see you later." The duo watched the cat depart. "Damnit... I don't want blood on my hands... You better find that detective, pal."

**~Out of our way!~**

Suzui Shiho was between a rabid beast and a deadly cliff, there was no hope for escape. Her only lifeline was her friend, Ann, she had to keep her from getting harmed... She used to love volleyball, cherishing the rush of joy that came with every win conquered with her team, and mourning the defeats. She even felt happiness when Ann came to cheer for her. But those times were long over, since the day the principal had announced that their coach would be replaced by someone more competent, Kamoshida Suguru.

At first, she was simply one of the victims, getting berated and slapped for failures to comply with Kamoshida's absurd standards. But she sucked it up, complaining would only make things worse and she didn't want to cause trouble. Little by little, Kamoshida had shattered the dreams of his trainees, all to fuel his ego. But that vile creature had to lay his randy eyes on Ann, desiring the 'exotic' student to realize his perversion. Still, Ann didn't falter, so he had turned his sights to Shiho, knowing the girls to be friends.

She and Mishima Yuuki became the main targets for his ire, one for being Ann's friend, and the other for supposedly having a defiant face. Shiho had wondered if she could convince Ann to change schools, they needed to escape the influence of that slimy man. _"We need to run away..."_ She thought of the transfer student, who had it worse than any student, saddled with that criminal record, yet he was unwavering... Still, even Shiho had a breaking point... In fact, she might even be close to snapping under the pressure.

**~That's some thick skin!~**

Naoto had been staking out around the school during her break, managing to glimpse the black cat with the yellow collar. _"So I was right. Still... Why would a school be seen as a castle?"_ And there was something else that began to bother her, a small group of students who came out around the time club activities were finished. _"Those wounds aren't from regular sports practices..."_ She had seen Chie get bruised with her kung fu training, and she saw her share of beaten up students after a harsh drill.

_"No, they look like..."_ She grimaced at the idea, not wishing it to be true. _"... Victims of abuse..."_ There was someone in Shujin who was causing the battered state of the students. _"There were many close to being healed, and some looked freshly injured..."_ Either there was a bully with well-connected parents, or there was a teacher abusing their position of power. She pulled up the school's homepage to check the second possibility. _"Let me search the list of employees..."_ She scrolled down the roster. _"Chouno... Hiruta... Inui... Kamoshida."_

The former Olympian athlete and currently a volleyball coach. She swallowed the rising bile, his specs would explain why people let him run rampant. _"They must see him as a golden egg gander..."_ She fingered her hat, things only got more convoluted. _"And with how things are, I don't think that I will have the leeway to pursue the case."_ It would another story if she managed to find a victim to extract testimony from, but she highly doubted so, a name could hold a great weight over people, even more from a prestigious man.

It made her bristle up, the idea that people could be shielded from the consequences of their acts by using their connections. She wondered if she would be able to help those students. How could she get a chance to pursue the crimes of Kamoshida? "Mew..." She turned around, seeing the strange cat staring up at a packet of jerky in a vending machine. "Hey, little guy..." She approached with caution to not spook it. "Eh?" Its ears flicked with curiosity as it watched the woman take out her wallet and purchase the jerky.

"Here. Aren't you hungry?" Morgana had an expression of doubt, this human was just randomly buying stuff for a stray cat. And he could recall seeing her face before, was she trying to adopt him? Still, his stomach rumbled and the smell was delicious. "If you insist. Thanks for the meal." He took one strip and began chewing, glad to have a person who wasn't afraid to be seen as crazy for talking with a stray. "I wonder what's your name." He licked his lips, she wouldn't understand him, but he was a polite feline. "I am Morgana."

The woman smiled at him, surely because she found his meowing cute. "Morgana, right?" His eyes widened in shock, she did understand him?! She seemed to have noticed his alarm and waved her hand placatingly. "I just wanted to ask some things to you. Will you help me?" He stared at the hand she was offering to him, asking himself if he should accept.


	6. Frustration and despair

A woman walked towards her apartment, getting curious glances due to the cat perched on her shoulder and meowing like a chatterbox. "I did find some Persona users, but those dolts are too afraid. Maybe I shouldn't have told them of the chance of failure..." Naoto was silently hearing the details of the change of heart that Morgana desired to enact, drawing parallels to the psychotic breakdowns. "What would happen if you killed a Shadow?" The cat flinched at the question, but he had to be truthful. "The real person will surely die. Their mind would be shattered beyond repair, they wouldn't just lose their desires like in a change of heart."

He wondered why she was asking that. She spoke hushedly, but his acute hearing caught it clearly. "Have you heard the news? I came to find out the cause." How could he not? Every news outlet kept blaring articles about these strange crimes. "... I am sure that someone else has access to the Metaverse... But I don't know how to tell who is, this culprit might be able to understand me, though." She climbed the steps and the cat curled closer to her to keep steady, and she reminded him to keep his voice down. "I'm at the end of the hall, and my neighbor has vacated, but be careful."

Once she closed the door, the cat got down and began grooming himself. Once Naoto had finished settling in and was seated on her sofa, Morgana got on the coffee table to resume the chat. "Still, your Metaverse is different from my TV World. Some things might be vastly different from what I remember." The cat scratched his ear. "Are you sure you can't join me?" She shook her head. "I have no free time for now, and you want to deal with Kamoshida as soon as possible, right?" She didn't even know if those teens that Morgana contacted would trust her if she barged in.

"Besides, I might not have access to my Persona anymore, it was years ago, after all." She was sure that she had changed since then, even if only a little, she was older and had faced her flaws. She petted Morgana, getting sweet purring from the cat. "Can I ask one more thing?" He chirped his consent. "Help them and show the right path." His ears flicked in her direction, paying rapt attention. "I trust you to keep them safe." Morgana had a determined face and puffed out his chest, his eyes shone with inner steel. "No need to fret, Naoto. I intended to do so from the beginning."

**~That's my true strength!~**

Akira was grumbling at his failure to find Naoto yet again, the one time he needed to see her, she was nowhere to be found. As he stepped down in the station, he couldn't help but hear Takamaki arguing with her caller, deducing it was Kamoshida on the other side from what she said. Then the girl crouched in a ball, letting out a lament for her friend. When he tried to check if she was fine, she recoiled at his presence, claiming that the call wasn't anything of importance, but her misty eyes and the tremor in her voice said otherwise.

The girl darted away, so the male gave chase, his gut told him to not ignore a person in trouble, even if it landed him deeper in shit. He found her leaning on a pillar, wiping her tears. "Why did you follow me?" Akira looked around and offered a hand. "I think you need someone to talk with. Let's go to a better place." She had a conflicted face, staring at him. "You're so weird... I don't get you..." He insisted, there were people who started to rubberneck at them.

While he did manage to convince her to come to this modest cafe, she was still skittish around him, but it didn't surprise him. "Was that chat... with Kamoshida?" The way her face contorted with disbelief was enough, then she sighed in defeat. "You must have heard the rumors with him..." The girl began spilling her woes to Akira and he stayed silent, letting her set the pace. Somehow the man got her number and was blackmailing her with her friend as the bargaining chip.

Akira was faced with another female in distress, Takamaki tearfully pleaded with him for a way out, making his gut churn with conflicted emotions. _"There IS a way for me and Ryuji to deal with Kamoshida directly... But are we ready for the consequence?"_ The girl calmed down slightly after discharging her grief, wondering out loud why she was finding it easy to tell him. "Maybe because I'm someone who won't tell others?" She shrugged. "You're the stranger one, though. Everybody just ignores me." She stared at his face. "Are the rumors about you even true?"

He sported a lopsided grin. "I'm bad to the bone." She shook her head at his teasing tone. "You seem unable to find a place to fit in school. It's the same for me... I think that's why I find it easy to talk..." She mumbled about her friend, asking herself if there was a way to make a person change their mind. "As if, life isn't that simple. But thank you, I'm feeling lighter after venting all that." She got ready to leave. "I'll go home. ... And keep this between us."

**~What a waste...~**

Mishima had just put away the scattered volleyballs and locked the door when he heard steps coming from behind. "Yes, sir?" He barely peeked up at Kamoshida, feeling the ire rolling off him like an ominous aura. "Go find Suzui and tell her to go see me. Go, now." The teen gulped in fear, still feeling the swelling from today's session. "Immediately, sir." He ran off before the man suddenly changed his mind, seeing how Kamoshida seemed about to blow his top.

He spotted his fellow in misery walking down the hall. "Suzui? Kamoshida called for you, in the PE faculty office..." She clutched her arm, Mishima's tone indicated that Kamoshida was in a foul mood. "What did he say?" He shrugged. "He told me nothing... I have to go." After he was out of sight, Shiho checked her phone, telling herself that nothing would happen. "Ann..." She swallowed the lump in her throat and began trudging to the dreaded room.

**~Like I'd ever lose to you~**

Morgana had been dropped off close to Shujin by Naoto, with her reminding him of their deal. "Alright, time to see if they made up their minds." He huffed with determination and padded off to the building. It was too easy to infiltrate the place and he went straight to Akira's class, having his seating placement in memory. He squeezed his lithe frame in the gap and waited for the teen. _"Naoto... I will leave Kamoshida to you after he has his change of heart."_

The bell for class rang and a person sat down by the desk, Morgana confirmed that it was Akira by scent, so he peeked his head out. "Have you made up your mind?" The teen almost jumped off his chair with surprise and glanced around to see if people had noticed. "Your best shot still lies in cooperating with me." Akira gestured to the cat to keep quiet, the class was still ongoing. "Did I hear a cat?" Morgana finally understood Akira's distress, hurriedly scooting back into the desk.

"Is that cat nearby?" The class began stirring up, so the teacher knocked on his table to get the students' attention. "Settle down! This is an important lecture!" Akira sighed with relief, they were in the clear, then his phone buzzed with messages. It was Ryuji bemoaning the fact they would have to accept Morgana's deal and calling him a furball, ticking off the cat. Akira had to agree with Ryuji, though. _"But can we really take on that castle and that Kamoshida?"_

One student sitting by the window glanced out to distract himself, but he got up at the sight. "Hey... What's that?!" Ushimaru got annoyed at the second interruption in a row, berating the student for being rowdy. A girl sitting behind the boy peeked out and let out a gasp. "I think she's going to jump!" At this, everybody saw the girl on the rooftop of the adjacent building. "Suzui?!" Ann sprang off her seat, shocked at the idea of her friend being in danger. "Shiho?!"

The students got up and went to have a closer look when- Akira saw the horror in Ann's face. "No... w-why...?" The girl pushed him aside when she ran towards the patio, after her friend. Akira gave chase, with Ryuji joining in halfway. People were blocking many of the nearest exits, rubbernecking at the incident and irritating the duo for treating this like a freak show, so Ryuji made a way out by roughly pushing people aside. "Let's go, pal!"

The silver lining was that Suzui was still alive and someone had called the ambulance. The paramedics already had her strapped for moving. Ryuji was outraged at the people filming the scene as if it were simply a distasteful prank. "What the hell is wrong with their heads?!" One of the paramedics asked if there was somebody in the crowd who could accompany Shiho, perhaps a teacher. But the adults were just wringing their hands and making up excuses to not get involved.

Ann stepped forward. "She's my friend, let me go." The man motioned for her to hop in, letting her approach the gurney. "Why, Shiho?" The girl was barely conscious. "Can't take it... anymore..." Her voice was getting weaker, so Ann strained her ears to understand. "Kamoshida...?" Once she couldn't hang on further, her eyes closed, making her friend fear the worst.

**~Let's go, partner!~**

Ryuji was snarling and Akira had a dark look, their guts were twisting at the idea that they could have prevented this from happening if they hadn't hesitated. The teachers were running themselves ragged trying to herd the students back to class. "Hey, is that Mishima?" The duo decided to pursue him, seeing how he seemed to know more. "Let's squeeze him until he squeals." The duo chased after the skittish boy towards a isolated location. Ryuji had grabbed one arm and Akira the other, tugging the fearful boy to a supply room and shoving him in.

"That hurts!" Ryuji began questioning Mishima about his flight. "I wasn't-" *SLAM!* He whimpered at the fist that landed close to his face. "She jumped and almost died! If you know anything, you better spill!" Mishima was starting to shrink himself, like a kicked puppy. Akira began tapping his foot. "Just tell us. It will be faster." Ryuji crossed his arms and had a glare firmly focused on Mishima. "Well? We ain't gonna snitch on you, we just wanna know her motives." The boy fell to his knees, clutching his hair.

"Kamoshida called her yesterday..." The two friends widened their eyes. "Every time he's in a bad mood, he calls someone who screwed up the most to the teacher's room and beats them..." That explained the extensive bruising. "But yesterday, Suzui made no mistakes..." Akira froze, recalling his meeting with Takamaki. "He was pissed off... it might have gone farther than other times..." Ryuji clenched his fists and growled. "That son of a bitch!" Mishima could only curl up in response to the blond's anger.

**~You're gonna pay, dammit!~**

A call to the station got Naoto's attention. "An attempted suicide? Where?" She waited for the answerer to finish. "Shujin Academy?!" Her blood ran cold, so that bastard had already caused this much damage... "Is there anyone available? ... Shirogane, go to Shujin and collect testimonies, try to find the motivation of the attempt." She nodded and set out, burning inside at the tragedy.


	7. Rage and disdain

Ryuji sped away to find Kamoshida, charging like an enraged bull. Akira and Mishima followed, hoping to prevent him from doing something regrettable. "You rotten shit! What did you do to Suzui?!" The trio faced the coach, who was dealing with some papers. "What do you mean by that?" Kamoshida had a dismissive sneer, not even turning to face them. "Don't play dumb!" The blond kicked a chair to discharge some of his urgings for violence, making the man slam his hand on the desk. "Enough!" But then Mishima began letting out his gripes and laments about the 'coaching' and the previous day, which made the man get up with a scowl.

"You lot are spouting off things that you can't prove." The man crossed his arms and puffed his chest to intimidate the teens. "You there, you're slandering me just because I never let you get in the team, right?" Mishima denied the claim, but Kamoshida was undeterred. "And even if what you say is true... What can you do against me?" The man sported a mocking pity face, taunting the trio. "The hospital has called, the girl is stuck in a coma. They say she might not even recover..." Kamoshida snorted derisively, holding his chin as if being thoughtful. "How can she make a statement... being like that...?"

The teenagers were shocked at the revelation. "The poor girl... the doctors say she has little chance of getting better..." The coach simulated a concerned pose and Mishima whimpered in disbelief. "You pile of...!" As Ryuji trembled with rage and his fists tingled with the urge to clock Kamoshida, the man stepped towards the blond defiantly. "Oh, it seems that we'll get involved in another case of 'self-defense'..." Ryuji growled at the blatant mockery. "Son a bitch!" He geared for a punch, but Akira grabbed his fist and pulled him back, getting a confused glare. "He's not worth it."

Ryuji was still snarling but backed off. "Why did you stop him? What a surprise..." Kamoshida tapped his chin, trying to goad Ryuji into losing control again. "Look, there's no need to hold back." The man laughed with disdain. "But you can't... what a pity!" Then he resumed scowling. "Consider yourselves expelled. I'll throw you all out at the next board meeting." This revolted the trio, making them protest. "Hah, it's your word against mine. You're scum, until where anyone is concerned. You all threatened me and defamed me."

"By the way, Mishima... I'm surprised you are with those delinquents, after what you did." The teens were thrown in a loop, what was he talking about? "To think I kept such a talentless hack in the club... And you even dare to act the victim?" Mishima was shaking his head. "Confess, you were the one who leaked his records!" Kamoshida pointed at Akira, surprising the pair of friends. "It's all over the internet, right? What a shame." Ryuji incredulously stared at Mishima, making him backpedal. "He forced me!" Kamoshida simply waved them away. "Your futures are on MY hands! Get out of my sight!"

"I can't believe this asshole...!" Akira motioned for Ryuji to follow him. "Let's talk." The blond perked up. "Oh yeah..." Their hushed chat annoyed Kamoshida, who snapped at them to get out at once. "We'll make him eat all those words, I swear." Ryuji nodded at Akira's words, smirking with glee at what they could do. As the duo walked down a deserted hallway, Akira pulled out his phone and checked the recording. _"I wonder what she might say about this."  
_

**~Don't get careless~**

Naoto showed her badge to the gate guard, ordering him to open for her. "There was a call about an incident, I came here to investigate." The heavy gate was pushed aside and she asked for directions to the principal's office. The pudgy man began sweating a waterfall when he saw her badge and recognized her face. "S-Shirogane, I'm sure that there's no need for your prestigious-" He almost choked on his tongue at her glare, receiving some of her smoldering ire. "Spare me the pleasantries. My station got a report of attempted suicide, and I'm sure a few calls to the nearest hospitals can corroborate the fact." She was certain that there was a festering pile of secrets hidden in Shujin due to Kamoshida, and she was going to uncover it.

Still, the principal tried to bullshit her with excuses that there was no need to investigate, as the girl had survived, albeit in a coma, earning a predatory stare from the detective. "Perhaps, but then people will wonder. 'Was she involved with drugs?' 'Did someone at the school put her to it?' 'Why is the principal not letting an investigation run?'" The obese man dabbed at the moisture that beaded his baldness. "When I could simply determine she was a case of buckling under societal pressures and thus obtain a satisfactory answer." She held her stance while the man began quaking in his britches, letting his nerves deal the final strike. "O-okay... feel free to question the faculty and the students..."

The few teachers in the faculty room currently without a shift were wondering about how the principal would deal with such a grisly case when the door got opened. Naoto swept her eyes over the apprehensive faces, it seemed that nobody would speak easily. "You, let's have a talk." A woman with a bright pink dress nodded and followed the detective. "Is there a place free for use?" Naoto got shown the student guidance room, that was currently vacant. There were a table and some chairs, it was good enough.

The detective pulled a voice recorder and set it on the table, putting two chairs to face each other directly. "Shall we start. Who is the person who made the attempt?" Miss Chouno was sighing with sorrow. "Suzui Shiho..." Naoto noted it down separately. "Any specific details about her?" "She is a volleyball club member." "Is there a student who is close to her?" "I heard that she is friends with Takamaki Ann." Anything that Naoto considered worth looking into was annotated. After some extra questions, Naoto let Chouno go and told her to send someone else in. The process repeated with a few other employees, with her trying to cover any potential gaps in information and requesting the last person to call for a specific one.

Now, it was time to face the beast of Shujin, Kamoshida Suguru. Naoto was seated and motioned the man to take his place, earning a mocking sniff and he plopped down in a defiant pose. _"When I get my hands on you after the change of heart..."_ She felt her blood pressure rising and gripped harder on the pen, but held her polite facade, initiating her battery of questions. "... I heard that Suzui Shiho was in your team. Can you tell me more?" The man had a sneer plastered on his face. "Hah, that girl had garbage skills. She must have thought she could use practice to make up for lack of talent." The clear disdain that the man held for his student fanned the flames of Naoto's anger.

The poor pen was groaning under her hold, the tip was close to snapping off. "This is quite a pity, but I'm sure that she just thought that school life was too much on her plate, it's not uncommon." The callousness of this man, compared to his fellow employees, kept pouring gasoline in the fire. The man snorted, visibly bored. "You might get something if you go after these brats, Mishima Yuuki, Sakamoto Ryuji, and Kurusu Akira. They were the ones to talk with Suzui last, I'm sure they are to blame." She spotted the glint in his eyes and simply noted the names. _"If you think you can throw me in a wild goose chase, you're sorely wrong."_ She closed her notepad and pocketed the recorder. "Thank you for your collaboration." It was time to find some people.

**~That's very interesting~**

Akira and Ryuji went to a secluded place with Morgana. "Yo Mona, let's wreck his ass! And I mean now!" The blond seemed close to bursting from pent up energy and was tapping his foot. Morgana frowned at his words. "We're not going to 'wreck' him, we will steal his distorted desires." The cat analyzed the teens, spotting the fire in their eyes. "I presume that you are prepared for the possibility of a mental shutdown?" Ryuji snarled, clenching his fists until the skin became white. "Suzui almost died because of that shitbag! I don't give a flying fuck if he croaks!" Morgana nodded, then he turned to the remaining one. "And what is your stance on this?"

Akira had the eyes of a leopard rearing for a lunge. "I agree with Ryuji, he needs to pay for his crimes." The cat sat down and closed his eyes. "Then it's settled. We shall infiltrate his Palace." But Ryuji had a nagging doubt and decided to ask. "Is dealing with a Palace hard?" The duo stared at the cat, getting nervous at the silence from the animal instead of a prompt reply. "You did do that before... Right?" Morgana had a plain look on his face. "I never said that." The teens were dumbfounded at the plain honesty from the smug furball. "So you were just playing the know-it-all?!"

Before they could ask more... "So you're getting expelled?" Takamaki had found them. "That asswipe is doing it again!" Ryuji growled, cursing Kamoshida for his spreading of information, then he glared at the girl. "You came to rub salt on?" She shook her head, stepping forward with purpose. "If you are planning something for Kamoshida, I want in!" The males recoiled in shock at her boldness. "I will make him pay for Shiho!" Ryuji refused to let her. "Stay out of this. It has nothing to do with you." Takamaki stomped her foot, not believing her ears. "It has everything to do with me! Shiho is-" "I SAID NO!" The girl shrunk back at this and ran off.

Morgana and Akira looked at Ryuji with disappointment, he had been far too harsh. "We can't take her along!" The cat just sighed, knowing it to be true. "I just hope that Miss Takamaki won't torture herself over this incident... She might end up doing something brash..." Ryuji deflated, some of his anger turned into guilt and he kicked some dust. "Then we just need to take him down fast. Let's go!" Akira and Morgana had troubled faces, but relented, there was no changing the blond's mind once he was set on a goal.

**~Then I'll give it a try~**

As she trudged down the hall, Ann was wiping her eyes, the tears of frustration weren't stopping. _"Damn them! I want to take part in anything that can take down that bastard..."_ People were avoiding her, but she had long stopped caring. "Hey, blonde girl." She stopped on her tracks and glared at her caller. If it was one of her slimy stalkers... Her bark died in her throat. "You're a... detective?" A woman in a suit was standing by the wall. "Correct. I am Shirogane Naoto." Naoto pulled out her notepad and checked a description. "I assume you are... Takamaki Ann?" The girl nodded, asking herself for the reason the woman was after her.

"I need you to answer me some things about Suzui Shiho." Ann was about to reply, only stopped by Naoto offering a card. "But it seems that you need some time to calm down. Here's my number, call me once you think you can talk." The girl picked it, taking out her phone to add the number given. "Stay safe." The woman departed, leaving the teen to stew on her thoughts and about the entire mess. As Ann thought over what she managed to hear, the surer she was about her deduction. _"Those two were definitively planning something! And I will find out what!"_


	8. Delving into the Palace

Two teens and a cat watched as the last few batches of students left Shujin, hidden in the alley. "Alright, the coast's clear." Ryuji craned his neck to check for any stragglers. "Very well, you two." Morgana raised his forepaw to get their attention. "Once we go in the Metaverse, I expect you to act as proper phantom thieves." The boys made confused expressions, what was this furball spouting this time? "We are partaking in an operation of infiltration, aiming to steal the Treasure of this ruler, doing the deed with style. Ergo, we are phantom thieves." The cat puffed out his chest with smug pride.

"..." The boys thought over the imagery. "That doesn't sound half-bad..." Akira pushed his glasses back, smirking at the idea. "When you put it like that, it's freaking cool!" Ryuji was bouncing with excitement, receiving the effects of the thrilling notion. The blond pulled out his phone and was about to activate the Metanav. "By the way... who made this nav thing?" Akira shrugged, calling attention to the fact they had to be focused. "Yeah, nevermind the small stuff." Ryuji clenched his fists. "We'll show that speedo bastard!"

Ann was crouched behind the dumpster, paying attention to the strange chat and wondering why there was a cat too. _"They were really planning something... But what can a nav app even do?"_ She felt a wave of nausea as the scenery rippled like a disturbed lake, freaking her out. "What is this?!" Then she saw the trio change in inexplicable ways, such as the cat turning into a mascot-like critter and her fellow students donning strange clothes. It wasn't something she could leave unanswered.

"Alrighty then! Time to bust this joint!" Ryuji was pumped up, eager to lay a world of hurt on the Shadow Kamoshida. "Can anyone tell me what's this?!" The trio jumped with a start when Takamaki ran up to them. "Why are YOU here?!" Ryuji was in a tizzy, not knowing what to do. "How would I know about that?!" The girl was showing impatience and confusion. "Sakamoto, Kurusu, tell me what happened! Why is everything like... THIS?!" She pointed at the ominous castle and the changed surroundings. "By the way, where is this place? Isn't this the school?"

Morgana's mental gears whirred fast and he drew a conclusion. "The Metanav must have dragged her in. If we could enter with one phone, there must be an effective radius that pulls people along." The girl then thought over what Ryuji said. "You said you would deal with a 'bastard'... So this IS about Kamoshida!" The male blond walked up to her. "Anyway, you need to get outta here!" The girl protested these words. "You two, arguing will only serve to attract Shadows." Takamaki stared at Morgana. "A talking monster cat?!" Both boys saw how this wounded Morgana's pride.

The girl planted her feet and demanded answers from them, stating she wouldn't budge until they talked. The trio mulled over how to boot her out to the real world. "Well, apparently, one way to exit this place is passing by the entry spot. That's how you two escaped the first time, correct?" Ryuji would have none of Takamaki's tantrums and hooked his arms under hers, with Akira holding her legs, lifting her and carrying her away despite her kicking protests. "Hey! Where do you think you're putting your hand?!"

**~... Oh, sorry~**

Naoto arrived at the station with a glare that could scare off a bear, irritated at the way Kamoshida had dismissed her. "Yo, rookie... Got a tough cookie?" She looked up at her senior, Badou Ittetsu. "Sir, there's no need for concern." The grizzled veteran scratched his beard, not buying it. "If you say so... But if you need help with detaining someone... Give me a call." His imponent stature could intimidate most people into meekness.

"Thanks, Badou. I will keep that in mind." She started walking away. "We need people to value folks like you... not that one-trick pony on the news." The gruff man had left the area before she could question him. She decided to leave it alone, she could ask later. She reported to the station chief about her findings, informing the man about the identity of the victim and requesting permission for a new outing so she could question the students. "I received information that some of those teenagers might have knowledge of Suzui Shiho's motive."

Her boss looked over the file given, smoothing over his mustache. "Try to deal with this without kicking too much of a fuss." She presumed that the principal of Shujin would put a gag order on the case, so the school's image wouldn't get tarnished. _"I do wonder what they will do with the videos taken by the students. Social media is worse than they think."_ "Understood, sir." The man waved her off in dismissal and she bowed respectfully. _"I should go get food, then I'll check the red-light district about that other case."_

Naoto was finishing her search for clues when a small stand caught her eye. _"Tarot cards?"_ The woman noticed her staring and beckoned her. "Hello, I am Mifune Chihaya. Are you interested in having your fortune read?" Well, she had some idle time, there was no harm in humoring the woman. Naoto took a seat and waited for instructions. "You can start by giving me your full name. ... Oh, you're that Shirogane? I did sense strong willpower from you." Naoto wondered what this fortune teller would pull. "Now, what kind of consultation do you wish for?"

"Give me the basic, like the future...?" Mifune nodded and gathered together her cards. "Let's probe the fog of your destiny first... O, divine power, shed light upon this woman's fate..." She started shuffling the deck and placed the cards on the table. She then flipped the cards up. "I can see through the mist of your fortune..." The woman nodded at something only she saw. "A valiant person from the past... and a group of young, but brave souls... but there's a shadow among them... Hm? There's also a confrontation..."

Mifune smiled at Naoto. "From this, I can say, you will meet an old acquaintance, and get to meet new friends, but be careful with who you let get closer. Your interpersonal fortune looks promising." Naoto frowned, she did plan to meet Rise soon, but the shadow and the confrontation sounded quite ominous. "I see a person with dark hair in your path, they might hold the key for your problems." The detective frowned, that was awfully vague. How many people with dark hair existed just in Tokyo? Hell, about any color past a certain shade could be seen as 'dark'.

"Are you sure that it will happen?" Mifune seemed slightly offended by her doubt. "Of course, fate is absolute!" Then the fortune teller seemed to spot something strange on her cards. "What is this? Justice aiding the Devil to escape, through Death...?" Naoto got really confused at this. "Um... Excuse me? Did you say 'devil'?" What the triple-backflipping heck was this woman talking about? Mifune crossed her arms and had a concerned expression. "You look like a very lawful existence, Shirogane, I do hope that you don't mix with the wrong people." The detective could only nod, utterly lost on what the woman meant with that last prediction.

**~Interesting...~**

The two teens sighed after the busywork. "Let's pay more attention before using the app next time." Morgana hissed at Ryuji. "A phantom thief has the duty to master their tools!" The cat questioned them on the reason they didn't try to find more about the Metanav. "Shuddup!" Ryuji groaned and ruffled his hair. "Takamaki just HAD to find us... Let's get this done before she does something!" Morgana raised an ear at that. _"So she was Lady Ann."_

Then he warned his teammates of the stirring Shadows, cautioning them. "We shall rely on you, Joker!" Ryuji tilted his head. "Eh, why did you give him a nickname?" Morgana twitched his ears in annoyance. "Know some finesse, this is a codename. Phantom thieves don't use their real names, that would be utter stupidity." Morgana huffed, patting his scarf. "And there's much of the Metaverse's workings that we don't know about, who knows what effects could crop up by using real names in a cognitive world."

Ryuji and Akira tried to wrap their minds around what the cat said. "Consider it a precaution, for your safety." Ryuji scratched his head, not really getting it. "Fine then, but why he's 'Joker'?" Morgana curled his tail. "He is a trump card when it comes to fighting abilities, like a card deck's Joker." Akira held his chin, the name did make sense and he was even a 'wild-card'. "Not bad, I like the sound of 'Joker'." Morgana smiled and turned to Ryuji. "Your codename shall be... Ruffian." Ryuji stomped close to the cat for his cheek and decided to decide for himself.

"This mask I'm using is freaking cool, so I want to use that in my name." Morgana had a flat look. "Then... 'Skull'?" Ryuji pumped his fist. "Now I like it, it sounds awesome!" Now it was time for the cat's codename. The teens scratched their heads, cracking them for a good idea. "What do you suggest?" Joker looked at Skull, letting him decide. "Ah... How 'bout 'Mona'?" The cat seemed to be testing it in his mind. "If you two find it appropriate, then I shall be 'Mona'. From now on, every time we dive in the Metaverse, we must use the codenames." The teens nodded in unison.

Now that the trio had settled it, it was time to tackle Kamoshida's castle. Their infiltration route was still safe, but as they sneaked through the castle, they found the Ruler Shadow in the main atrium barking orders to an army of subordinates. "The intruders of the other day will surely return, and I will not tolerate their filth in my domain! Tighten the security, kill them on sight!" The subordinates roared at the orders, getting fired up. "I will reward those who bring me their heads!"

Now the cheers became thunderous and the Shadows oozed the intent to kill. "Praise be to King Kamoshida!" "Death to the intruders!" Skull wondered if they couldn't simply ambush the ruler then and there. "It's plainly suicidal. There is no point in that idea." Mona scolded Skull and reminded him of the goal of getting a confession. "For that purpose, we must find his Treasure." Skull hung his head and asked where they could find the damn thing. "It should be hidden away in the depths of this castle, thus, we must infiltrate further."

**~That's not true~**

Takamaki Ann wasn't an amused girl, having been carried like a cement sack by the two males and unceremoniously thrown off the Metaverse, just so they wouldn't need to deal with her. "Those two are going to pay for this!" She stomped her heel on the curb, feeling impotent and angry. "Why don't they get it...? I want to help them... If it's to take down Kamoshida, I'd do anything!"

She clenched her hands, not having an outlet for her frustration. "Oh well, it's not like I can go there..." She pulled out her phone to check the time, only to spot a strange icon on her home screen. "What is this app? ... 'Metanav'?" It was what that weird critter had mentioned. _"Can I use this to get to the castle?"_ She mulled over what could be used as the keywords in the search bar. _"Shujin is the location, Kamoshida is probably the owner..."_

She confirmed that those were some of the needed passcodes, but she lacked the last one. "Um... maybe it's that. Castle." The app beeped out a notification of a successful input and the scenery changed. She looked at the dreary castle, wondering what to do. _"I should find them..."_ But she had no chance, some guard Shadows had seen her. "Princess!" She got surrounded by armored lugs and got taken away to a place unknown, unable to resist their combined strength.

**~I'll see you later~**

As they explored, Mona formed a mental map for reference, for the purpose of tracing the shortest route possible. There was a point where they passed by a blocked hallway with armors, with Skull noting that it felt strange. "Let's keep this place in mind, we might find a way for entry further in." Another thing that Mona paid close attention was to the placements of Safe Rooms, in case they had to get a timeout and recover.

The agitated Shadows forced the trio to exercise their utmost stealth. Skull questioned what method would be used to take the Treasure, but Mona insisted that it was better to leave it for later. "We must ensure that we find a safe route to the Treasure location." Then he expressed his wish to get at least one more member to optimize their chances of success. "Yanno, you know a lot for someone without memories." Skull turned to Joker. "Whatcha think of this, does Mona really have amnesia?"

Joker glanced at Mona, getting a gut feeling about him. "I trust him, and you should too." Skull frowned. "But and if he's really some alley cat?" Mona got disheartened at this, but the voices of Shadows sent them into alert. "Still, why was the princess in such an odd place?" The thieves put their ears to the door, paying attention to the conversation. "The readings were indicating an intruder, though..." "Pshaw, let's just take her to our king!"

Mona slipped through the door crack to see what was the ruckus about, leaving the duo alone to wonder about the mystery that was his existence. "Morgana got this castle and the Metanav beat when it comes to being bizarre." Joker chided Skull about the codenames, making him scratch his head at the screw-up. Mona returned with bad news, Takamaki, the real one, was taken captive by Shadow Kamoshida! "She must have received the app as Skull did!" The blond cursed her brash actions.

Mona guided them back to the once barred hallway, getting to hear Ann's voice as they approached her location. She was secured to a St. Andrew's cross and Shadow Kamoshida was standing by her with the cognitive Ann. The girl still hadn't realized that things in this world didn't follow common sense. The Shadow Ruler scolded his subjects by confusing his toy with the real deal, then he leered at Ann. "Are you afraid?"

The girl had a disgusted face. "Have you lost your mind?!" Kamoshida laughed mockingly. "This is my castle, a place where I can indulge in my desires." The girl struggled against her bonds, questioning the entire situation. "What a lively slave..." The girl snapped at the 'king', who simply turned to his kitten. "Oh... lookie, dear... She's defying me. What do you think of that?" The cognitive copy swayed in a seductive way. "It's like... totally unforgivable..." With this, Kamoshida ordered Ann's execution.

The thieves arrived at the scene, interrupting the events and irritating the 'king'. The man, seeking to taunt Ann further, revealed to her exactly what happened prior to Shiho's fall, of him using the girl as Ann's replacement and blaming the blonde for everything. "I tire of waiting, dismantle her! Oh, start with her clothes!"

The situation, coupled with the swirl of emotions that were already plaguing Ann before the Metaverse and Joker's encouraging words, aided her to reach the boiling point. "... You're right. To let this scum toy with me like this! I must be crazy! ... Enough of this..." As her rebellious spirit surfaced, Ann awakened Carmen and overpowered Kamoshida's guards, sending him running with his tail between his legs.

**~It's so easy...~**

Naoto walked back to her apartment, wondering about the fortune teller's predictions. _"Who, from my past, will I meet? And what was that about a Devil?"_ Her head hurt from attempting to make sense of that ominous notion. _"Maybe I should get the 'past' portion done with."_ She had already assumed that the group would be the one Morgana aimed to create. She pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Hello, yeah, it's me. Look, are you going to have free time tomorrow? ... That's nice to hear, I wanted to talk to a friend. ... Then I'll be there on the clock. ... Good night, bye Rise."


	9. Forging pacts

Ann told the trio of thieves about her motivations to go against Kamoshida, once again asking to take part in their group. Akira had explained that it would be risky inside the Metaverse and that she would need to pull her own weigh. It didn't dishearten the girl, who was fired up at the idea of changing the heart of the man who made her friend and several people suffer. "I'll make Kamoshida pay for all he did. I'll never forgive him... I'll do whatever it takes!" Thus, they now had the four-man cell that Morgana desired. Akira felt something on his hand and glanced down, another tarot card had materialized when Ann had declared her will to fight alongside them.

The group had parted after establishing means of contact and a meeting place, with Akira being the one tasked with caring for and carrying Morgana. When the teen got to Leblanc, Sojiro had shooed him upstairs, as the place was still in business hours. _"A punk?"_ Akira briefly glanced at the woman seated at one of the booths and climbed the stairs. Sometime later, Sojiro let him come down to the cafe area, answering his question about the customer just now. "She's the doctor manning the clinic close by." The man let slip some rumors about the doctor being a quack.

After answering some questions, Akira went upstairs. Morgana got tired of being stuffed in the bag and popped his head out, seeing the messy attic. "What a... erm... Spartan living space...?" As the cat stretched out, Sojiro suddenly arrived, having been attracted by meowing. "Why did you bring a stray?" Akira pulled the lame excuse of 'it followed me', with Sojiro reacting by saying that it wasn't his business, as long the cat stayed away from the cafe, figuring the animal would give this 'delinquent' a responsibility and stimulate good behavior. "You are the one to care for it, I won't lift a finger." The man left the pair alone and went downstairs.

"For someone who seems so understanding, I wonder why he keeps you cooped up here..." The man returned with a plate of leftovers for Morgana. "You just had to keep calling out with that cute voice..." The cat and the teen deadpanned, the man had just told them he wouldn't care for Morgana. "Have you picked a name?" Too bad for Sojiro, he wouldn't get to name the not-a-cat. - Now that they were sure the man wouldn't return... "He must like cute things... well, my voice is only meowing for regular people..." Morgana rolled on the mattress. "This beats those dungeons by miles..." Then the cat fell silent. "May I be honest? I have no memories of 'who' I am, nor of my birth... Perhaps the distortions have warped my mind along with my body..."

"The reason I'm after the Palaces is to retrieve my true self... Will you aid me? As you help me, I will pay in kind." Morgana offered his expertise in infiltration tools as a deal. _"... Another card... The Magician?"_ Akira shook the cat's paw to settle the pact. "As you acquire proficiency, I shall instruct you about more complicated tools. And... I'm glad I met you, your power to use several Personas is full of potential. It's truly a trump card." The cat recommended the teen to forge bonds with many people so as to bring out the full potential of his ability. "I hold great expectations for you." - Akira felt a mysterious weigh on him during his sleep, wondering if some part of him was truly afraid of Kamoshida's threat.

**~I won't run from my destiny~**

Naoto looked at the building and then checked the clock. _"Just on time. She said studio number 7."_ She got a visitor's tag and asked for directions to the studio where Rise was in. The TV station was quite big and the corridors were cumbersome. _"I dislike being in mazes."_ Luckily for her, she was close to her objective. As she walked down the hallway, Studio 4's door opened and a certain person popped out. Akechi Goro hadn't noticed Naoto, looking towards the other direction, from where an idol was approaching with a pure and radiant grin.

The female braced for impact while the male put up his best business smile and held out a hand for a greeting. "De-tec-ti-ve~! Prin-ce~!" Rise dashed, not caring for etiquette at this moment, glomping Naoto in a bear hug to make Teddie proud. "Oh my gosh~ I missed you, Naoto!" The detective barely managed to hold on her hat, patting the back of her overly cheerful friend. "Same here, Rise. But cut it out, people are staring."

The idol looked down at her ruffled friend, slightly apologetic for her enthusiasm. "Oh, right, sorry. But I'm honestly happy that you're here!" A peppy Rise was excited about their outing, declaring her plans to hit Shibuya. "Just don't choose an expensive place, my wallet isn't as hefty as yours." Both ignored the moody teenager who got treated like air. Akechi watched as the idol dragged off her friend, his ego was slightly bruised, as he had assumed the Detective Prince was himself. But he had no time to dwell on that, he had a phone call to answer.

Two women stood by a crepe stand. Naoto had already gotten her order and Rise waited for hers. "So, why are you in Tokyo? I thought you would stay around Okinawa longer?" The detective had expected this, but she didn't know if she should share her worries. "... Naoto, it's about that, right?" The idol glanced at one of the many panels that displayed the current news, this time it was a bus driver. "As expected..." She fiddled with her hat and her friend had a worried look.

The detective motioned for her friend to start walking. "Let's look around." Rise nodded, still holding some questions. "Why not tell anyone?" Naoto shook her head, it was somewhat complicated to explain. "You all have your hands full." Before Rise could protest her words, the detective waved for her to calm down. "But I found some promising people." The idol widened her eyes in shock. "You mean there are new ones?" A subtle nod. "I still don't like the fact you hid things from us... But I will take your word." Rise knew that Naoto was sly and could take care of herself. "Just remember this, if you need help, tell me. Promise me that?"

Naoto reassured Rise that she would. "This one is different from what we saw back then. And I don't have access, yet." Rise frowned, what was the entry method? "I also found an interesting fellow, I might present him to you at a later date." The idol got curious. "Someone like Teddie?" The detective had a thoughtful face. "... Probably, I'm not entirely sure." She mused if Morgana had managed to form his little band of thieves. "I'll try to get their trust first. I don't want another incident like that..." Rise had an awkward smile, both never forgot about their Shadows. "I get you... Heavens, my face still burns at those memories..."

"But enough about me, what about you?" Rise was disappointed, she wanted to find more, but there would be more opportunities. "Glad that you asked. Would you believe that I got an offer to sing for Featherman?" The friends chatted some more about banalities and their other friends, commenting about how Yosuke would post grumblings in the group chat about Teddie's flirty behavior towards pretty clients and how Chie had gotten famous to the point she was known as the 'officer who knows kung fu', having several Y*utube videos showing her skills.

"I was thinking about having a meeting at Inaba, maybe next year. What do you think?" Rise was considering asking for a brief break from work for that chance. "That would be lovely, I was also thinking of doing something similar." Then Naoto got a call. "Unknown? Sorry Rise... Shirogane speaking. ... Understood. Where can I find you?" The idol got worried when her friend suddenly got a serious look. "What was that about?" Naoto sighed after hanging up. "A case, an informant wants to talk." Rise nodded in understanding. "Duty calls, then. Don't let me keep you here, it's time for me to go back to my job too." The pair said their farewells and went separate ways, promising to find time for a new meeting.

**~... Please excuse me~**

Ryuji had called his fellow thieves to the rooftop after classes through text messages. Unluckily for Akira, him checking the phone led to Ushimaru chucking a chalk bit and leaving a white dot on his forehead. _"Gh... such accuracy..."_ Ann and Morgana felt bad for him, it looked like it hurt, and their classmates were snickering at his misfortune. - The spot was still smarting as the group conversed over their plans to infiltrate Kamoshida's Palace. Morgana was stressing the point that there was a risk of dying within the Metaverse, that they shouldn't rely solely on their abilities. "Before I tell you the finer details, I ask you to perform some errands."

"One of the preparations we require is obtaining better weaponry, we might find stronger Shadows as we delve deeper in the Palace." Ryuji perked up at that, mentioning the place were he bought Akira's prop gun and stating he could deal with it. "Another stage of preparations is obtaining medical supplies, injuries and fatigue are inevitable." Morgana glanced at Akira, both recalled the supposed quack from Yongen. "Once we get those errands done with, I shall explain the method to steal desires." The group parted ways, for now, going off to obtain the needed items.

Teen and cat went to the punk doctor to see if they could get supplies from her. Akira gave her a bullshit story about having a disease and needing medicine, which made the doctor ask him if he had heard the rumors about her. _"Eh, damn it."_ The woman was annoyed at the kind of people who sought her due to the grapevine, figuring Akira to be another of the bunch. "But fine, I will give you medicine. ... Only the kind that will aid in recovering your health." It seemed like she didn't care much, as long he didn't cause trouble for her. "You're a strange one... Why do you need medicine? ... Well, it's not my problem."

As Akira was about to leave the clinic, he managed to overhear something interesting. _"_ _A potent drug? ... Super-stimulant?"_ The geezer was throwing around some outrageous accusations and the doctor sounded uncaring. And what was that about a mistake and criminal actions? He left the area before the man caught him eavesdropping. - Morgana wondered if those statements were true and the doctor did hold stronger stuff in her clinic. "It might be of great use in Palaces, try to talk about it with her another day." Then Akira received a message from Ryuji to come to Shibuya, he intended to show where was the model gun shop.

**~Is that being selfish?~**

Akira entered Leblanc and glanced at the customers inside, fixating on one at the last booth. _"Oh, she's here today. I should show those things to her."_ But the furball was faster and hopped off his bag. "Naoto!" The woman was seated and enjoying her coffee when a certain cat jumped on her lap. "Morgana?" The cat purred and curled up. "Meow~ So you were a regular here, that's good to know." Naoto scratched the cat's chin, wondering how he got here, then she looked up at a surprised Akira, who was full of questions for the both of them. _"Why is he so familiar with her? And how did she learn his name?"_ Sojiro was the extremely particular sort, he wouldn't have blabbed it to his customers.

The cat motioned for Akira to sit down. "What did I say about bothering customers?" Sojiro glared at the teen, but Naoto said she didn't mind, so the man huffed and began going over his coffee grind stock. Akira scratched his head, not sure of how to start. "You can understand him?" Naoto saw that he was skittish and doubtful. "Yes. It must be a _persona_ lity trait, something about having abilities other people lack." He shuffled in his seat, boiling with the urge to ask questions when he remembered his original goal. "Hey... have you heard of Kamoshida Suguru?" With the way she turned serious, he knew she had her share of suspicions against him. "So my hunch was correct..."

Akira showed her the photos of the battered students and revealed Kamoshida's indirect confession. "Such a man roams free..." Morgana had sad eyes, thinking back to that girl. "Suzui... I wish we could have done something before she jumped..." Naoto attempted to calm the cat down, taking care to not be heard by Sojiro. "I understand how you feel. I almost committed a grave error when I was faced with something similar, years ago." Akira had a look of simmering anger, Kamoshida had messed up with several lives. "I know of your plan. I will deal with the aftermath."


	10. Chapter 10

Akira, just like Morgana, didn't even consider the possibility of there being more Persona Users, of other supernatural occurrences. But here was the former Detective Prince, chatting with him and the cat. He heard about her friends, of another Wild-card living far away from Tokyo, and she briefly touched upon her own escapades into the TV World. Naoto answered Akira's questions the best she could, taking care to not make Sojiro suspicious.

"If you need aid, feel free to ask me. Just try to not create a big mess I might be unable to deal with." Akira nodded, the name of a renowned person like her could give him some new windows. "Can you help my team in there?" Naoto sighed, it was the same question as Morgana's. "That will have to wait. I'm a novice in this city, despite my experience. I have to make my higher-ups trust me. But you might be able to help me." Akira gulped, catching what went unsaid. "I understand... Morgana will take care of it." The blackie stared at the boy.

"What about the cat?" Sojiro came over with a coffee jar. "I think I have a mice issue at my apartment, maybe this little buddy could help." The old man raised a brow but dropped the issue. "Refill?" Naoto held out her mug. "Thanks." Once the man was distracted with his kitchen supplies the woman turned to face the teen. "So, it's my turn. Have you made any friends?" - They had put up the front of a law enforcer checking if a young delinquent wasn't erring further in his path, with her giving her number to him just in case. "It was good to talk, see you another day."

**~I'm surprised to hear that...~**

*Pat, nudge, tap... Poke, prod, jab...*

"Not waking up... You asked for this."

*SMACK!*

"OW!" Akira woke up with Morgana swatting at his face, having just received a right hook from the furball. "Rise and shine, Akira. You promised Ryuji to go to the weapon shop today, right?" The teen rubbed the sore spot where the cat hit him last, he had wanted to sleep in a bit more because it was Sunday, but no. Morgana just HAD to punch him awake. "We're going there at ten, it's what..." The sleepy teen pawed for his phone. "Seven, right now?"

The cat had his lips set in a thin line. "Then use the time to put your room in order. We could use that table to set up a work desk." This little devil in feline skin... Akira glared at the bossy animal. "Okay, you win this time." As Akira moved the books off the desk to the bed and searched for a way to shove those in one of the shelves, Morgana recalled a request. "By the way, I want you to find a way to give Naoto the Metanav, okay?"

The human tilted his head at the cat. "Why? She said she's busy with work and that she would deal with things from this side." The cat twitched his ears, wrinkling his nose. "We could always use some backup. And from what I gathered from prior talks with her, she has experience. Something we could make use of, just in case." Plus, Morgana wanted her to have a sure way to keep herself safe from the unknown Metaverse user, but Akira didn't need to know about that person now.

After wiping away the dust and changing his clothes, Akira was ready to go with Ryuji to the prop shop. "Here's your carrier, sir." He had emptied one of his spare bags and was holding it open for Morgana, who shot him a nasty glare before jumping in. "I do hope that place holds a good selection of goods." Morgana didn't trust Ryuji's sense, but if he had managed to get his hands on Akira's current model gun, maybe the guy had hit gold. "Let's give the guy a chance, he knows this city better than me, for now." The cat huffed and lowered his head, letting his handler close the zipper.

In the stifling metro wagon... The poor cat had to withstand being squished in the bag, unable to cry out his indignation else Akira got kicked off at the next stop and fined. Thankfully Akira didn't face delays and soon arrived at Shibuya, enabling Morgana to breathe easier now that they were aboveground. Ryuji waved at him and made a gesture to follow him, both walking past a politician trying to garner some attention from the passersby.

The throngs of people almost made Akira lose Ryuji from sight, but he managed to keep pace and both teens were now at an alley. 'Untouchable' was the shop's name and Ryuji was standing by the door. "This is it, looks legit, right?" The spectacled one began having his doubts, for a legal business, it looked quite shady. To make things worse, neither had a clue about guns.

The dim shop was packed to the gills with gun stuff and weapon replicas, with a manager that would be at home in a Yakuza movie set. "Yo, fresh faces, something caught your eye?" The duo was staring at the many weapons available, unable to decide. The blond tried to get some tips, only to get more confused at the terms. "Just pick what you want." Akira saw how Ryuji was having issues with the scary-face manager. _"I should get some advice."_

He picked his phone and tapped a number. "... It's me... I want to ask something about guns, I'm about to get one with a friend... No! They're models, not real ones!" The last thing he needed was to give the wrong idea about his intentions. "... Well, I don't know what I should get, I wondered if you could give an opinion... My style?" He had no idea of what standard she was using. "... I'll see if I find one I like, thanks for the tip... Yes, bye."

**~Keep up the good work~**

A teenage girl looked up at the white building before her, eyes clouded by sorrow and grief. _"Shiho... hold strong..."_ She entered the hospital and asked for the room number. Her surroundings smelled of medicine and nurses walked by her hurriedly, from time to time Ann sighted fellow grievers standing while looking into a window, towards the patient laying inside. _"_ _And if...?"_ She shook her head violently, she couldn't afford to entertain such dreary thoughts! _"She will get better, I'm sure of it!"_

She stopped at the numbered door and entered the room. A nurse had just changed the covers and left the room, leaving Ann alone with the patient after recognizing her. "... Shiho..." The blonde walked to the chair close to the bed, taking care to not mess with the machines gauging vitals nor the IV tubes. She gingerly held on the bandaged hand, taking solace at the warmth. "You know, school is a bit boring without you... but don't worry, okay?" Her eyes stung, her heart was tearing at the sight of her comatose friend.

"I got to know that transfer student, Kurusu Akira, you know? You were right, he's quite the nice person..." It might be a pointless effort, talking with someone who couldn't hear you, but Ann didn't care, her sanity needed this. "I heard your message, and would you believe it? Shirogane Naoto, that Detective Prince, is the one looking into your case." Ann recalled the conversation from yesterday with the woman. "She is really smart, she already suspected Kamoshida... When I told her what you managed to speak, she said that it confirmed her deductions..."

She dared to hope that her words were reaching Shiho, wherever she was in that unconscious limbo. "Please... open your eyes... That trash doesn't deserve to have you die because of him..." Ann had downcast eyes, praying silently for a swift recovery. "By the way... don't tell this to anyone..." She glanced at the door, remembering to lock it, for now. "That transfer student, a weird cat, Sakamoto, and I... we made a group... We're going to make him change his ways." Kamoshida would pay, she didn't care anymore if their stunt left him brain-dead.

"We're going to make him regret everything. The volleyball team, the beatings, you... He won't have any exit." That was her promise to Shiho, one of the pillars of her resolve, and one of her many ways to fuel her inner fire. "?" She had the fleeting sensation of pressure on her hand as if Shiho was attempting to comfort her, but the machines showed no changes... "Just... Swear to me that you will live and that you will get up from that bed..." She sighed with a heavy heart, letting go and leaving the room, she needed to get ready for her mission.

**~I appreciate your kindness~**

Naoto was at Inokashira Park for some leisure time when her phone rang. "Shirogane speaking... Oh, Kurusu, how can I help you? ... You do know that it's illegal to buy guns, right?" She frowned at what she had heard. "... Is that so? Fine, what do you want to know?" She thought over his overall build and way to move. "... Going by your style, I'd suggest a semi-automatic pistol..." The 'uh...' was clearly conveyed, so she tried to explain. "Well, you seem to be the type that favors mobility and accuracy... Is that all? ... Goodbye."

The woman looked up and saw a freaked-out elderly woman staring at her. _"That was the kind of chat that can be misunderstood..."_ The granny shuffled away awkwardly. _"Now that I think about it, didn't Yosuke wave around real swords at Junes?"_ She also never understood how that smither wasn't busted for selling weapons to her group back then. At least the Metaverse had convenient mechanics and harmless replicas were easier to explain as a hobby.

_"I should ask where that place is."_ From what Morgana had explained to her, her revolver was off limits and she would have to get a simile. _"Is entering the Metaverse the only condition to get the Metanav?"_ She crossed her arms and began thinking, now that she was going down that track. _"What kind of clothing would be given to me?"_ Morgana had helpfully supplied that Takamaki was using a catsuit. _"... No way. I'd rather have a tuxedo, like those spies."_ And there was the mask that would embody her Persona. _"Now I'm really curious..."_

To make things worse for her, she began wondering how her entire group would look like if they entered the Metaverse. _"I think Kanji would end up with one of those delinquent masks."_ Yukiko made one think of Noh if masks were brought up, but now that Naoto knew of her skewed sense of humor, maybe the Amagi would end up with one of those that depicted old men. Naoto shook her head, she had to banish those intrusive thoughts. _"That kind of thing is a rabbit hole."_ And her break was over, she had to get back to work.

**~I wish you hadn't seen that~**

A woman was going over a report on the computer screen and checked some readings, trying to pick up on any abnormalities. _"These last two years were problematic..."_ There was something going on in Tokyo, the news all but confirmed that. Yamagishi Fuuka kept catching microscopic peaks of energy that resembled the interference caused by Shadows, but those never lasted more than a few moments. Unless there were mysterious occurrences that could only be caused by those beings, her organization could only watch.

It was like having the foreknowledge of a disaster, yet nobody would believe their words. But in the last few days, she noticed that there were two separate blips at separate locations. _"Is there an imminent proliferation?"_ Her boss had taken her worries into mind, knowing that they should send someone to check the city. The issue was the lack of personnel to move and possible interference from the government. Fuuka sighed at the situation and went to check some security videos, there was no harm in trying to spot something, like that cat that disappeared in plain sight.

The woman watched sedately as the people milled by the screen. A student entering an art supply shop, a young woman carrying some books, a rich-looking lass being courted by a man, a recent celebrity being harassed by his fans... _"Wait... isn't that...?"_ The woman stopped the video at a familiar face, smiling at the opportunity. There was someone that could be contacted, after all. Fuuka gazed at the paused recording of Shirogane Naoto passing by a shop in Shibuya.

_"I need to inform her."_ She stretched her arms and got up, the sooner things were set into motion, the better it would be. But then she noticed something in the log on one of the screens. _"I don't recognize that IP... wait, that activity pattern is- An intruder!"_ Someone had managed to infiltrate the defenses she had crafted especially for the restricted archives, this person was waltzing in as if it were their yard. _"They are messing with the files!"_ But before she could mount a counter, there was a message written on the screen.

You don't have what I want, I took nothing from you. -Alibaba.


	11. Chapter 11

Morgana thought about how to wake up Akira. _"I already went with taps to the face..."_ Then he saw that the teen turned to lay on his back, leaving his stomach exposed. Akira woke up with Morgana kneading him forcefully, letting out the tips of the nails. "You furry little..." Then he froze at the sight of the clock, rushing to get ready for school and catch the metro. "Don't get in trouble." Sojiro had left him bread and canned coffee, figuring he'd take the breakfast on the go.

The teen took care to hold the bag in a way it wouldn't get pancaked between people, swaying with the metro's bumps. The way to school yielded more rumors, with hushed whispers about Suzui. Akira had to see the smug coach greeting the students as if he had nothing to weigh on his conscience. The man had faced him with a pompous smirk. "Keep the goody-two-shoes act if you want, I'm still expelling you." The student turned his face away to hide his dark glare. _"We'll make you regret everything and your ass will rot in jail."_

That little performance at the school gates only served to incense the band of thieves. They would blaze a trail straight to his Treasure and do away with his distorted heart. After talking through messages, the group had decided to scout the Palace as soon school was finished. Before entering the Metaverse, Morgana reiterated that the Treasure's theft would erase the Palace, but that was the extent of his knowledge. They could only guess what form the Treasure would take and the place where it was hidden.

**~That is indeed intriguing~**

Naoto had just returned from her rounds when she spotted one of her colleagues staring sadly at a gadget. _"That's... Ichijou Mikumo. I wonder what's that device."_ She approached the sullen female, who jumped at her presence and hid the item behind her. "Ah, Shirogane, what can I do for you?" Naoto had her interest sparked at the novelty of that gadget, it was unlike what she had seen before. "May I have a look at that?" Mikumo fidgeted a little and hesitated, but she relented and let Naoto take it. "It's Little Thief."

It was roughly bigger than a bulky walkie-talkie, but it had a keypad and a screen. "What are its functions?" Mikumo was fiddling with her hair. "It helped me with my investigations, it can recreate a crime scene and the possible events, through inputted data." Naoto was surprised, such a device was really useful. "But it's broken now, and nobody I tried to ask for help knew how to fix it..." The woman was reluctant to part with the electronic, letting slip that it was a memento from her father. That made Naoto feel bad for her. _"But is it really beyond repair?"_

She wondered if she could fix it, but she would need permission. "Ichijou, may I try to restore it? I'm quite confident about my skills." Mikumo stared at her with reservation and glanced down at the gadget. "Are you sure about that?" Naoto nodded, promising to not break it further. "Well, you can't ruin what's already done for. Just don't mess with the casing." If she failed, there was nothing lost, but success would get her the favor of a senior. Naoto recalled the report she had to hand in, the deadline for this particular one was today. "Thanks for trusting me, but I have to go now."

"I don't mind it, just be careful with it." Mikumo waved away her worries. "Don't sweat it, the chief likes your efficiency, even if he puts up that hardboiled facade." To Naoto's fortune, there were many officers in Tokyo that were amiable towards her, despite her rookie status, they showed the ropes to keep their superiors off their backs. Detectives could be close to the bottom rung, but they had street smarts, something Naoto would need to advance with her personal project.

**~Well, that's expected, no?~**

"But daaamn... That's so hot..." The boys enjoyed the sight of red leather and zipper while they could, knowing that they would have to get used to it and treat it as white noise soon. Ann noticed the fixed gaze and asked if there was an issue. "N-Nah, just thinkin' 'bout your codename..." Skull elbowed his buddy. "Joker, what'cha think we should pick?" At Ann's confusion, the trio gave out their own codenames, and Mona held his chin while thinking. "Judging by your ensemble..." They looked over the mask and the attachment behind her.

The group stared at Joker, waiting for his response. "Sexy Cat-" He slapped a hand over his mouth, damn Freudian slip. Ann protested loudly at the 'suggestion', making Skull hang his head and ask for her idea, she then made a pensive expression. "Hm... 'Panther'? It sounds much better." Skull tilted his head, not getting it. "Well, it's more ferocious than a cat." Mona jumped with cheer. "She's a cougar!" Skull and Joker chortled with laughter, badly holding the giggles back.

"Don't call me that!" Joker took a mental note to teach street lingo to the cat, lest he got the wrong person angry with his words. And now that their new member was settled, it was time for plunder. But Joker had noticed one of the twins standing by a jail door. He got summoned by Igor, who gave him access to a new power, a 'third eye' to detect the unseen. Once he had exited that domain, his teammates acted as if he had simply spaced out. _"So only I can see them."_ Perhaps it was his Wild-card nature at work.

Joker clenched his fist and gave his teammates a meaningful look. "It's showtime." As the thieves stole through the castle and sneaked by the guards, they taught Panther the concepts of the Metaverse that they managed to grasp. There some subjects that she struggled to understand, but she took to fighting like a fish to water. Mona predicted that they had a long way to go and a lot to map out.

**~Oh, I almost forgot~**

Fuuka had detected another instance of Tokyo's blips, noticing it was a whit stronger than the initial ones. _"It must be coming from that new source."_ Too bad she had to stay here and oversee the database and that the one other person currently able to go see that detective was currently drowning in paperwork and bureaucracy. Curse whoever was making all those ministers and government officials question her boss and the necessity of the Shadow Operatives.

**~I can't wait until then~**

Naoto was just finishing her meal when the cafe door opened and a worn-out teen walked in. "Nya... The Metaverse left my body in tatters..." The guy didn't even notice her presence, tottering towards the stairs at Morgana's behest. _"Wow, they look like they got chewed by a dog."_ Sojiro seemed to be uncaring, only reminding his tenant to not get himself in hot water. "One mistake and it's all over for you." Akira just grumbled out a response and shuffled upstairs.

Once neither adult heard more noises, Naoto faced Sojiro. "You promised to tell me about his case. He seems well-behaved, why is he on probation?" The man scratched his neck, unsure if he should spill the beans. "Assault charges. But his parents called me to explain everything, claiming he's a good kid and that he'd never do such a thing." Naoto frowned, depending on the case, the culprit could get out with fines, even more in first offense cases, yet Akira got slammed with the harshest punishment.

_"I have to look into that."_ It was a blatant injustice, something she couldn't overlook. _"I should ask Mr. Badou, he might have the connections needed to get something."_ Sojiro had an uneasy expression, his jaw tensed as if he intended to say something, but held back. "I shouldn't have told you that. I'm just messing with other people's problems..." She stared at the man. "Mister Sakura. If you hadn't said a word, I would simply use my contacts and get information. You simply cut short my work."

Naoto got up and left the money on the counter. "It's my way of living, so don't feel guilty. Thanks for telling me, and goodbye." She exited the cafe and took the route home, paying attention to her surroundings. - She let out a deep sigh once she stepped inside her apartment, loosening the tie and changing into slippers. She put the strange device on the table and went to get some tools and assorted materials. "Time to see what's wrong with you, little fellow."

**~Please be careful~**

Akira woke up with a furry weight on his face that was starting to suffocate him. "Morgana..." He plucked off the languid cat and prepared for the day. The cat didn't even protest once the teen shoved him in the bag, his body still felt like ground beef. - Today it was a lesson with the Biology teacher, Hiruta. The man had gone off on a tangent about Suzui that made Ann annoyed before picking Akira to answer a question.

After receiving the reply and confirming it was correct, Hiruta started to speak about cognition and how it differed from person to person, of how the world could take varied forms when seen by individuals, making Morgana remark about how it sounded similar to the Metaverse's faculties. And so, another school day went by, without any contretemps nor scares.

Ryuji invited Akira to join him for a physical workout, figuring it would help with facing stronger Shadows. The blond took him to a secluded place in the school grounds, revealing the intention to get back into running, wishing to recover his body condition and be able to fight longer in the Metaverse. The plan was for both of them to use Ryuji's experience in the track team to build up stamina. "It'd be pointless if I was the only one gettin' buffer and faster, you're the trump card of the team."

Ryuji grunted and held his bad leg after the rounds as Akira hunched over to recover his breath. "Yanno, my old team used to be the hot stuff in this school..." Then came Kamoshida to ruin everything so as to build the foundations for his ego, getting the original coach fired and abusing the track team. Ryuji used to be the main target and the man had used his past to make the blond snap at him, using the chance to crush the team for good and bolster the volleyball club.

"Anyways, that's the past for me. Eyes on the future, bro!" Akira had an awkward smile at Ryuji's cheer, but he returned the high-five. "Now that I got this pumped up, I think I'm good for another round, and you?" Ryuji had a bright smile despite the grime. Akira sweated, those sparkly eyes like of an eager labrador begging for a walkie... "Okay, let's go." - "Holy crap... my legs are jello now... Dude... don't fall on your face... when you go back..."

**~Oh, you may take offense to that~**

A phone began buzzing with an alarm. Naoto groggily lifted her face off the table, she had been far too eager to draw the diagrams of Little Thief's components and discover its inner workings that she lost track of time, ending up burning herself out. Thankfully the problem wasn't too complicated, being a matter to replace the wiring that had gone bad from age and clean up some of the more vital solderings, perhaps those people Mikumo sought for repair didn't dare to mess with something unknown. Its screen flared to life and the display was lit, her efforts had paid out.

Once Naoto presented the gadget to Mikumo and explained that she had managed to make it return to working condition, the woman began crying all of a sudden and trembled with emotion, shocking Naoto with the unexpectedness. Naoto looked behind Mikumo and saw a female and two detectives who were in close terms with the woman glare at her. "For the love of everything holy, stop crying!" She heard the sound of cracking. _"I feel intense killing intent! Is that a bullwhip?!"_

Before anyone moved, Mikumo threw her arms around Naoto in a tearful hug. "I'm really grateful, thanks for reviving Little Thief!" Naoto stopped feeling the urge to flee as those people backed off, now that Mikumo was clearly happy. _"I'm saved..."_ Badou approached them and saw the device, giving the pair a rare smile. "Rookie, you got a favor to ask? ... What you just did deserves a reward." Who would think this would happen? Was he related to Mikumo?

"Actually, I had one thing in mind." She handed Badou a photo with a name. "Kurusu Akira?" The grizzled man looked questioningly at Naoto. "I have some doubts about his case, I wondered if you could dig up details on it." The man pocketed it. "Consider it done... it's a pittance, so you may ask for another favor... within reason, of course... Thanks for your service." Badou made his protegé let go of Naoto and led her away. "Did you have to make such a scene... Mikumo?" The Shirogane also left the place, deciding that work would distract her from this mess.

**~It may feel a little awkward~**

Akira was still feeling spasms in his legs from the running when Sojiro began harping about keeping his grades up and keeping pace with his studies. "I'm keeping an eye on you, so watch out." And when the teen was about to climb to the attic- "You can get rid of all that junk upstairs, I have no need for those." Akira swept his gaze over the mountain of stuff and rubbed his neck. "Time to get to work, then."

"Uh, why is there a live plant in here?" Morgana suggested using it to decorate. _"I don't think one can just throw it away either."_ Akira had to do some heavy lifting and made good use of a broom and dustpan, briefly wondering why there was a stepladder in here as well. When he turned to tackle the shelves, the book's subjects left him befuddled. "Those are quite the brainy materials... Politics... Law... Philosophy..."

Akira didn't think Sojiro was the kind of person to read these things and he had no idea of the reason the man would have such stuff with him. The teen packed it up for either burnable disposal, or for a second-hand bookstore. - The teen patted his hands clean and gazed at his room, that looked much more spacious without the junk filling it. "Now this looks like proper living quarters." Akira glared at Morgana, the cat did fuck-all to help and he was now with a sore back to sum with his pained legs.


	12. Chapter 12

Akira was having a dream where he punched Shadow Kamoshida on the face, feeling the impact on flesh, but the man smirked and countered with his own blows, striking Akira's stomach. - Morgana was jumping on Akira's midsection to wake him up. For some reason, this dream of his was keeping him asleep and he was groaning out something unintelligible. _"Should I jump on his face?"_ But once the cat stopped jumping, the teen spasmed awake, sweating at what he saw. "Time to go to school?"

Ann smoothed the skirt of her uniform and set off to catch the metro, taking the chance to read some of the news once she was in the wagon. _"Wait, Kujikawa Rise was caught wandering in Shibuya with someone?"_ She looked at the date the photos were taken and lamented the loss of a possible meeting with the idol. _"If I had stayed there just a little longer..."_ For some reason, the tabloids were afire with the idea of a hidden relationship between the former Detective Prince and Risette. Then Ann wondered how her teammates were doing right now...

Ryuji got his ears blasted by his alarm and the nagging from his mother to wake up. "Oh crap, I'm going to be late!" He gulped down the milk and grabbed a few slices of bread to eat on the run, hastily bidding his mother a good day. _"Don't fail on me, legs!"_ As he sprinted on the pavement, he felt that his tennis was feeling awkward on his foot, so he hopped on one leg as he tried to wear it correctly, glancing down to see his handiwork. "Ouch!" "Hm?!"

Because he took off his eyes from the road, he ran head-first on someone. "Sorry dude-" He saw a huge grizzled man, easily taller than even Kamoshida, looming over him. _"Mommy..."_ \- Badou had felt something hit him from the back, it was a student. "Get going to school." He pulled up the boy to his feet and straightened his clothes, patting the blond's shoulder once he was done. "Don't be late for your classes."

Ryuji stared at the man walking away, dumbfounded, it was like seeing a bear walk past you without caring about your presence. "Oh yeah, school!" He resumed his mad dash to the station, barely getting to squeeze a spot for himself in the crowd. _"How much do we need to explore until we can steal that Treasure thingy?"_ Ryuji could feel the threat of expulsion hanging over his neck and wished to avoid it. Besides, he did want the chance to wallop the Shadow Ruler to make up for the real deal.

**~Full speed ahead!~**

This was just dandy, a rainy day... Naoto figured her time would be better spent by reading her case files and organizing them by priority order. The whole shtick with Ichijou left some of her colleagues wary of doing something to offend her, seeing how Badou was the most respected officer in the area and Naoto was now seen favorably by his protegé and surrogate niece. _"I'm really lucky that I managed to get a favor without getting a debt."_

The man had said that he had contacted some acquaintances to find more about Kurusu and that he expected results within the week. As she leafed through the files, she began thinking over the attempted suicide. She hoped that band of thieves could manage to enact their plan without being caught, as it was unlikely anyone would place any complaints against the man after all this time. _"I only pray that the worst scenery doesn't come to be."_ Suzui's situation made her remember Nanako and how her group came close to doing something regrettable.

"Something in your mind?" Naoto jumped slightly at the voice, looking up to a bright smile. "Ichijou, how can I help you?" The woman sighed and hung her head in disappointment, fiddling with her brooch. "I don't want that stuffiness around us, call me Mikumo and I will call you Naoto, 'kay?" The Shirogane got caught off guard. "Don't make that face, I want us to be friends. If that's fine with you." Naoto was confused, not getting why she was so forward despite not being particularly close before yesterday.

"Just take her offer, Shirogane... She's not going to give up until you cave in." Badou passed by with some papers under his arm, giving Mikumo a stern look that she returned with a smirk. Naoto sighed, maybe it wouldn't be too bad. "Fine, Mikumo." The woman's eyes shone like polished emeralds. "Great! ... I'd invite you to eat out, but this weather is..." Naoto smiled at her, her cheer was reminiscent of Chie. "I know a place if you don't mind curry."

**~My stomach growled...~**

Ryuji had decided that class time was a good time to bring up the money issue, starting an IM thread about the matter. Akira had asked if the guy had savings, getting a bold 'nope' that irked him. Ann suggested part-time jobs to get their funding, only for Ryuji to complain and say he didn't want work. Akira sent a strongly worded message at the slacker, but Ryuji had already peace-out off the chat. _"I'm not going to be the only one saddled with jobs. I'll talk with him later."_

Akira searched the school after classes were over after that meat-head but ended up empty-handed after a few rounds. "Tch- You just wait..." Morgana felt his fur rise with fear at the ire starting to radiate from the teen. _"Mew... Ryuji, you bloody fool... You're only making it worse for yourself later..."_ Akira let out a huff and cracked his knuckles. "You are off the hook, for now. Just you wait for the reckoning."

He decided to go to the station, intending to get some pamphlets and job offers and see what he could get. Akira found one of the stands and picked a magazine, skimming over the ads. _"Those are for a convenience store, a flower shop, and a restaurant..."_ He kept the magazine, maybe there were other issues with different offers. Taking the chance, Akira wandered around the underground mall in Shibuya, seeing the selection of goods and planning future purchases. _"Would these accessories have effects in the Metaverse?"_ Too bad the thieves were currently close to broke.

As they now explored aboveground, Morgana popped out his head from the bag. "You know, Akira, we could try selling some of the trinkets we got from the Palace." The teen nodded, taking in mind that the weapon shop would be the safest bet. _"Wait, isn't that...?"_ Akira spotted Caroline sitting on a jail door. The young warden saw him too and gestured for him to approach, it was time to visit the Velvet Room. As Akira was about to step in- "Ugh-!" He got kicked inside.

The nosey man explained the purpose of the entrance Akira just used and beseeched him to use it, with the twins dragging Akira outside once the conversation was over. _"... I got my ass kicked just for this?"_ Once the teen was sure he was back to the real world, he felt tired of dealing with the outdoors for today. "We should go home for today, I'm still feeling like I got beaten." Morgana didn't protest, retreating into his carrier.

**~Oh, poor thing...~**

As he washed the dishes, Sojiro was grumbling about the weather, it made the air feel gloomy and decreased the already pitiful amount of customers. *Ding!* He turned to the entrance, seeing two females put away their umbrellas, fetching towels for them. "Table for two?" Naoto nodded, drying her hair as Mikumo checked the state of her clothes. "Feel free to pick any of them."

The man glanced at the clock and wondered where was the brat at. _"I pray he didn't land himself in trouble."_ The entrance bell rang again and Akira was shaking the rain off his clothes and hair. "Stop acting like a dog, you're getting water everywhere." Sojiro threw another clean towel at the teen. "Geez, any later and you'd have to sleep in the street." The youth didn't retort, too preoccupied with getting his bag dry.

Morgana landed on the tiles and bounded towards Naoto to give her the gist of their progress. Akira saw the cat get lost in bliss at the petting as he read the messages from the group. Ryuji said that the news of their expulsion was all over the school, but that it wouldn't matter soon after the thieves managed to pull their operation. [Too bad that people won't know it was our doing.]

Akira and Ann didn't care, telling Ryuji to stop minding the rumors and focus on their goal. [We gotta pull this off, no matter how!] The spectacled youngster went to his room, trusting Morgana to not get himself in hot water, intending on crafting some of those rustic lockpicks he had learned to make. _"I should beat up some of those Shadows who hold materials."_ He had to be careful to bend the tin just right, it snapped far too easily.

**~Let's go!~**

Once they weren't dripping rainwater all over the place, the duo sat down and gave out their orders. "Still, I'm surprised to learn about a cafe that serves only curry and coffee." Mikumo didn't mind the simplistic ambient, in fact, she loved it. "Let's see if the food is as good as you said." Sojiro tuned out the chatter of the detectives, going through the motions to prepare the beverages.

Naoto glanced at the door and saw Kurusu enter, resuming the conversation until Morgana came to greet her. "Meow, I got news for you." Naoto took the chance that her colleague was charmed by the cat to pay attention to the report. "Oh, who's the little guy? He's so cute." Mikumo was amused at how Morgana acted all prim and proper despite all his meowing, not jumping on the table.

"Hello, miss." Morgana let Mikumo pick him and settled on her lap, with Naoto supplying the name to her. "You remind me of my darling, he's all polite, just like you." Once Morgana was done relaying the Metaverse events, he went upstairs, leaving the detectives alone to enjoy their meal. "You were right, it's really good. I'll have to tell Uncle about this place."

Mikumo glanced at Sojiro to ascertain he wasn't listening in, facing her companion with seriousness. "I have a warning for you, it might sound odd, but it's important." Naoto looked at her senior with a quizzical expression. "Keep a wide berth from Akechi. Getting involved with him only causes harm." The woman held the sleeves of her suit, wondering how to explain it to the rookie.

"A friend of mine got thrown off to another city because he got too curious. At least he's still alive, unlike some others." Mikumo had a sorrowful expression, she wanted Naoto to stay out of trouble. "I understand, I had already noticed something was amiss with him from his track report." Green eyes widened in shock, then the woman let out an amused chuckle. "Well, as expected from a Shirogane."

**~Do you think so?~**

Sojiro watched the pair of women leave for the night, with the older one slinging an arm around the younger one and calling for a new meeting. _"I should close up."_ He set aside the cups to dry and cleaned his hands with a towel. _"Oh, I have to talk to him."_ The man looked at the stairs. "Boy, come here, let's have a chat." Akira shoved his trinkets in a box and went to see Sojiro.

The teen leaned on one of the stools. "I hope you are behaving in school and not causing trouble." Akira thought of what the man would say if he knew about the Metaverse escapades. "I'm not, it's all fine." The man seemed to accept the answer. "I give reports about your probation from time to time, so keep things simple." Akira pursed his lips when Sojiro started another tirade about having to conform to society's rules.

The man only stopped to answer a phone call, getting pensive for a few moments once he was done. "You think you can help around the cafe?" Akira nodded. "In exchange, I'll teach you how to brew the perfect coffee, how about that?" The teen shrugged, not minding it. "Then it's a deal." As Sojiro went for the exit, Akira examined the new card, the bond formed with the man. _"How many more can I get?"_


	13. Chapter 13

 Akira was watching the homeroom teacher give the lesson for the day, sneaking glances down at his phone, planning the Palace infiltration and getting informed of the preparations undertaken by the other two. Ryuji bought bandages and medicines for muscle pain, Ann got emergency rations and snacks to help them recover stamina. Kawakami did notice that Akira and Ann were distracted, but felt no need to scold them, as they were part of the 'troublemaker' portion of students, figuring neither would listen to her.

Both blondes were eager to tackle the castle again, clamoring for Akira to greenlight the operation. The bell then rang, indicating classes were over. The youth took care to not let Morgana be seen as he put his things away, intending to get out without any fuss. But Kamoshida bumped his shoulder not-on-purpose and held a grating smirk aimed at him, lamenting having to stomach the sight of scum sullying this prestigious school. _"Stay on your high horse, bastard."_ Akira just rubbed the place hit and walked away.

"Let's deal with this." Morgana perked up at that, feeling Akira walk up several steps until the bag got opened. "So we're going in?" Akira tested his muscles and did a few stretches, not feeling the numbness that plagued him since the last Palace trip. Morgana was staring at the teen with expectant eyes. "Yes, and I've bought some supplies from that doctor. Let's inform them to come here." The cat smiled, whiskers twitching at the pent up energy. "Understood, Leader. The sooner we find the Treasure, the better."

The two remaining members arrived at the rooftop in record time. "Yosh, let's get this show on the road!" Ryuji was cracking his knuckles and Ann was almost bouncing on her heels. The group waited until there were no possible witnesses to activate the Metanav, glaring at the castle in unison. "Remember, no drawing unneeded fights to us." As they sneaked deeper in, they took the trinkets that seemed valuable and that felt different from the rest.

Mona made the group stop before they entered a large hall, feeling something amiss with the lack of Shadows. "It might be a trap setup." But there was no way forward, there was only the hall, so they could only hope they had the means to outwit the Ruler. The size of the location and the way it was decorated made Joker think of the gym, as that place would surely be the place where Kamoshida's hold was the strongest.

Skull grimaced at the excessive luxury. "He's a god of the gym, so it must be some kinda sacred place for him." The gaudy statue made the guess a certainty. "My time waiting here has paid off." A Shadow that was clearly a cut above the mob materialized before the thieves, confirming Mona's worries. "You are in King Kamoshida's holy sanctum. Miscreants such as yourselves hold no right to stand here!" It got ready to fight, making the thieves take their battle positions. "You shall pay for your folly with your blood!"

**~I can't help but watch~**

Naoto and Mikumo were hanging out together after dealing with a pickpocket who almost took Mikumo's wallet, sending the ruffian off into Badou's supervision. "Tch, Reiji would have given me hell if I lost this." Mikumo was still slightly rattled at the failed attempt, so they were trying to unwind at a small cafe. "As I was telling you, there are many people to be careful around. The Special Investigation Unit holds several of them."

The woman was scowling. "It's a pit of rabid dogs that do anything to get convictions to build up their performance sheets." Mikumo was stabbing angrily at the poor cake on her plate. "I gave up on keeping the tally of cases they stole from us 'ordinary detectives'. Bunch of vultures..." Naoto held her comments, the way those eyes were narrowed was slightly intimidating.

"There are more, but here's one I advise to watch out for. Niijima Sae." Mikumo pulled up a photo in her phone and showed it to Naoto, it was of a tall woman with ashen hair and a serious expression. "She's the one who usually gets Akechi's cases, she's quite merciless against those who get on her way." They took a few bites of their dishes, with one deflating a bit at the state of her meal.

"She's starting to use underhanded methods, I fear that she might try to use us for corrupt purposes, at this pace." Mikumo heaved a deep sigh. "She's under my fiancé, but she seems to have forgotten who's her superior since she began working with the SIU..." Naoto thanked her senior for her imparted knowledge about Tokyo's circles of influences. "Don't sweat it, 'kay? Uncle did the same for me, so now it's my turn."

Mikumo then stared at Naoto. "But I do wonder what you're doing here, I heard the rumors saying you were supposed to be at Okinawa for a few months longer." Naoto fiddled with her hat, cursing how her fame preceded her. "But I don't care, we are in need of capable personnel, and you did fix Little Thief. I hope this is really the start of a nice friendship, alright?" The older female offered a handshake, that Naoto accepted. "Me too, I will be in your care."

**~Yes, let's!~**

The thieves panted with exertion, the Heavenly Punisher had given them quite the beating. "Those things are tough as heck..." It seemed that the Ruler had seen the thieves were a real threat and was now moving to eliminate them for good. To nail it in their minds, more Shadows appeared to ambush them. "Crap, there are tons!" The group did their best to evade the grasp of the clunky armors and go deeper in the castle.

After losing their pursuers in the winding halls and sneaking back to the gaudy room, the band saw that they would have to find a way to explore the upper level, whose existence was made clear by the hanging corridors. "Hey, there's a few crates there." Skull pointed out at the broken banister. Mona climbed the crates first to test their sturdiness and instructed the others about how to climb safely.

Skull clicked his tongue and kicked the bars keeping the door closed. "Stop that, there's another door in that direction." Mona was thinking of how to reach that entrance, but Panther stated that there was no way to get there. "Okay, I hope you all have at least some sense of parkour or acrobatics, else things will be difficult." Joker looked at the pillars and wondered if they could use the platforms to reach the other corridor. "Let's keep the momentum, I'm confident on my skills. What about you?"

Traipsing carefully on the small ledges, the thieves managed to advance, although Skull did almost fall to his doom by misstepping, saved by a timely grab from Joker. They soon were met with a spiral staircase that led to an open area teeming with Shadows, who seemed to be guarding the way to the ominous tower standing in the distance. The thieves stared at the door behind the patrols. "Alright, time to do like Sn*ke and sneak."

Too bad that the door was locked and they were spotted. "Shit, let's get to the roof, go! Go!" Joker and the others clambered up the badly piled crates before the Shadows could catch them. "... Joker, do you think we can use this path?" Panther pointed out the thin strips of brick sticking out of the walls. "Eh, no harm in trying." Thus, they managed to infiltrate the tower, perhaps the Treasure would be at the top.

**~Let us speed to the ends of the world!~**

Badou Itettsu was old and weathered, he had seen many things in this line of work and taken many risks. His wit was sharp and he knew to watch out for the small details, so he instantly grew suspicious once he looked over the copy of the files on the assault charges against Kurusu Akira. _"Where's the name of the victim?"_ He reread the whole thing, that wasn't much, to ascertain he wasn't missing anything.

_"Shirogane, this is quite the situation..."_ The man scratched his beard and wondered what the rookie intended to do. _"There are no medical reports to justify this severity either..."_ To be succinct, this stank of a setup, but he couldn't fathom the reason to drag a teen in the mud of crime, to curse him to hold a label in the eyes of the people. _"The only proofs of his misdeeds lay on the word of this witness and the police reports..."_

He growled, angered at the idea of someone abusing their power for such a petty and scummy act. But he also felt trepidation, whoever had pulled the strings from the background, they would have to hold quite the amount of power and influence. He narrowed his eyes like a tiger about to pounce, it meant money, a politician or a CEO was the most probable culprit. _"I feel that I'm about to enter the den of the devil, but I'm looking forward to it."_

Badou knew that once Mikumo got the slightest hint of this, she would want in as well, having a slight obsession with uncovering the truth, no matter how unpleasant it might be. The man would be walking in step with them, attempting to guide them in the less noticeable path, to avoid being snuffed by the puppeteer in the shadows. _"_ _What will be your move, Shirogane?"_ He smirked, this little rookie had a line leading to something huge, and he would take part in the action.

**~Ah, what a thrill!~**

The tower's interior had patches that seemed to meld together and sections of the floor were disjointed. "Sheesh, what the shit is this?!" Skull had a freaked out look. "Distortions, the Treasure is most certainly at the top." Mona had a glint in his eyes, mirrored by Joker, as they looked up. "But keep on your toes, the Ruler surely stationed his strongest troops here."

One of the tower's corridors ended with a vainglorious painting of Kamoshida taking up an entire wall, the exposed skin and creepiness factor made Panther gag with disgust and the males to grimace in distaste. "Yanno, there's those movies with some secret passage behind paintings..." Everybody stared at Skull. "What, I also like mystery flicks!" Joker went to test it... Yup, they ended back in the hall where Captain Kidd awakened. "Well, at least we found a shortcut."

The Ruler's perversion was visible in the sensual statues decorating the tower, making the single female shiver with dread. As they went up the floors, the area became increasingly distorted, there was even debris starting to float. In one of the floors, they found a pendulum blades trap. "... Guys, do you think this statue is the switch?" Panther was looking at an eyeless bust with discomfort. "It makes sense, like in the dungeons."

This forced them to seek the guards holding the items required to make the turn-off mechanism workable. "How gross, that eye may be fake, but I feel that it's leering at me!" Of course, with the number of Shadows and the need to obtain battle experience, they were unable to completely avoid combat anyway. - Joker stared at the eyes and at the grinning bust with shivers running down his spine, shoving the gems in the slots to get this done with.

The thieves were faced with a room chock full with busts of Kamoshida, making them approach the limits of discomfort at the stoned stares. "Why is his ego this bloated?" Mona felt his fur stand up and got goosebumps. They tried to see if stairs would appear at their presence, but one of the high-ranked Shadows appeared, its statements making it clear that it was blocking their advance. "Time to clock him and teach a lesson." Skull cracked his knuckles.

**~I want to do it again!~**

As Naoto and Mikumo were working at their respective desks, one got a nagging curiosity. "By the way, what happened to this friend of yours?" The older of the duo recalled the details. "He got found trying to check the case files, he was lucky to not have opened the cabinet yet, so they sent him to a smaller city." Naoto was thoughtful, it sounded similar to that man's situation back then. "I believe Keisuke got sent to a place called Inaba, or something."

Naoto froze on her seat, was such a coincidence even possible? "He's happy there, though. His wife likes the place and Kei enjoys the lighter load, even if his boss is so demanding." Mikumo was twirling a pen, deep in thoughts. "Is the boss called Dojima?" The pen fell on the wood with a clatter. "Why do you know that? ... Wait, Kei got sent to Inaba of the bizarre murders?! I thought those names just happened to be similar!"

Naoto hurried to shush the woman, people were starting to stare. "Stop making a scene, the culprit is in jail." Still, to know that the city one grew to like was known by such a moniker... "That case was indeed bizarre, but that man won't hurt anybody else." Mikumo got slightly calmer. "Now I really want details. Can you tell me later?" Naoto felt that it was unlikely for her to believe what really happened, even the official case file had parts that sounded too farfetched.

**~It's quite a cute one~**

"I'm so done with this disgusting pit..." The thieves were still reeling from the shape of the last guard they faced. "That thing looked like a big, fat d-" Skull got lashed by Panther. "Quiet!" Then Joker thought over the speech it gave out. "This majestic tower that _penetrates the sky_ is the embodiment of King Kamoshida's most sacred place..." Teenagers gotta be teenagers, Skull and Joker let out snorts of amusement as Panther and Mona glared at the duo.

Thankfully for Panther's sanity, they were close to the Treasure, just needing to sneak by Kamoshida's throne room, witnessing the Ruler bark admonishments at his underlings and ordering them to find the intruders. The huge decorated door led into a treasury, with a floating orb in its center. Mona confirmed that the orb was the Treasure they sought to take, explaining the required steps to materialize it.

The teens listened to the cat with rapt attention. "By using a calling card, the Ruler will come to see their desires as an item that can be taken away." Skull got pumped up, it sounded exactly like the phantom thieves in mangas. "... Most probably." Oh yeah, this was their first heist, so it was touch-and-go for now. "The infiltration route is secured, so once we send the card, we can make it here in good time."

The thieves were now standing at the front gates, ready to exit the Metaverse. But who would be the one to create the card? And when to send it? The thieves looked at each other. "Keep it on hold for now, we can hold a meeting to decide these later." Mona was starting to feel the cramps from the fights. "We shall meet tomorrow." With this Joker tapped the Nav, returning to the real world.


	14. Chapter 14

Rise was lounging in her room, her manager had given her a break from her gigs so she wouldn't burn out. _"Boring..."_ She sunk her face in the pillow, trying to figure out what to do to pass the day. _"Maybe I could make something for Naoto, she's working so hard..."_ She groaned in dismay, adulting sucked hard, she wanted to explore that other world too... _"I should make something she can share with her coworkers. Cookies, maybe?"_ She sprang off the bed and went to get dressed, time to get the ingredients!

After checking the list of products to make the treats, she went to buy her supplies. As she wandered inside the supermarket and explored the aisles. When she got to the spice section, she saw a man looking judiciously at the jars. He had quite the critic glint in his eyes. Rise began staring at the spice selection, wondering what to get. "Want some advice?" The man had put aside his task. "Well, I want to make something nice for a friend, but I'm afraid I tend to use too much spice on my foods..."

Sojiro pushed back his glasses, to meet a celebrity while doing something as mundane as shopping... "Life is a little dull without spices, you should try setting aside the exact amount before starting to cook." It was worth giving this suggestion a go, despite her preference for going with her gut. "Do you have other tips?" Elder and idol engaged in a brisk conversation about cooking.

Then she saw that the man had a raised brow at her. "Is there something wrong?" Sojiro waved his hand. "No, I just recalled someone saying they knew you." After a few minutes of amiable chatting, the adults parted ways, with Rise promising to visit Leblanc. _"Time to get to baking~"_ She was going to give her best to not overseason this recipe.

The idol's producer stared at the bowl of cookies. "Did you make those?" Rise smiled brightly. "Yup, I want to send some to my friend." The man sweated bullets, there were flecks of red and black on the brown mass. "Tell me the address and I'll have those delivered, we can't afford to have the tabloids go wild again so soon." Rise clicked her tongue in annoyance, damn those rabid paparazzi, she and Naoto were just friends, and Rise was straight.

**~A treat?~**

Akira decided to take the afternoon to discover what was going on with that doctor and those shady rumors. Morgana felt that something might happen, so he shut his mouth and laid quiet in the bag. The teen had boldly requested the medicine once he was at the reception, making the woman glare at him with suspicion. "I recognize you from Leblanc. Do you really need it?" Akira put up his best pitiful face and begged for it, the doctor held a blank stare. "Get in the examination room."

The fact that the good doctor felt the need to lock the door alarmed Akira. "You must have heard something you shouldn't have." The teen averted his eyes, sweating nervously. "Your face had it in bold letters, it was too obvious." She let out a sigh. "You came here for nothing, I am going to dispose of it." Akira deflated, he got in this situation for naught. "Still, you don't seem the sort of person to need it. You're too lanky to be a sportsman after doping."

Akira got distressed, trying to find a way to bullshit his way out. "Need it for exams." The woman raised a brow, clearly trying to make him drop the ball. "Entrance exams? So you want concentration and energy... That's your problem, go chug those energy drinks that are so popular." The teen swallowed, he had to get the damn medicine! "And if I tell people...?" The doctor shot him a nasty glare that almost made him flinch. "It's expensive, far above what a highschooler can afford."

Akira racked his mind for a way to convince her to help him. "Maybe I could work my earn?" She had a thoughtful expression, analyzing his face for something. "Part-time help? ... Are you someone with good amounts of stamina?" Akira made a quizzical face, why was she asking this? "I could use the aid of someone around your age. Are you up for it?" When he asked what he would get in exchange, she simply rebuffed by stating that it would be worth the time.

"You will be my test subject for clinical trials." Akira was surprised and Morgana slapped his paws over his snout to not yelp with shock. The doctor returned with a vial of... something. "Worried about the side effects? Be assured, I will find out what killed you with an autopsy." No shit, that fucking made him more nervous about downing this concoction. At his freaked-out face, she was nonchalant. "Take it or leave it, the door's right there."

Akira gulped fearfully, but he had to do it, for his team. The liquid had no smell, but he couldn't shake off the ominous premonition. "Bottoms up." He tilted the back, doing his best to swallow without tasting whatever it was. "..." "... you drank it..." Both waited for something to happen... Akira felt his stomach gurgle, as if he had drank a fizzy drink too fast, then he got knocked out.

**~Be careful~**

Naoto stared at the plain package on her desk. "A card?" It was from Rise, her handwriting was as floral as ever, asking the detective to enjoy the cookies and maybe share them with other people. _"Let's test the heat..."_ The cookie looked like a regular oatmeal one, but the black and red flecks were probably pepper, the verdict was that it wasn't something for normal people, it was for the seasoned.

Mikumo and some other girl came up to her desk. "Oh, those look nice, can I pick one?" Naoto grabbed Mikumo's hand. "How is your capsaicin tolerance?" The stranger picked one of the cookies and looked closely. "She's right to ask, this is letting out a scent that accuses a high Scoville." Mikumo was still curious, making puppy eyes. "Suit yourself." She took a bite and instantly her eyes widened at the taste, shaking her head at the heat flooding her mouth.

"N...! Wow, you weren't kidding. This is a horse kick..." Mikumo took a while to come down from the trial. "... But it did wake me up, this could be useful for late stakeouts." The other female had used the time to present herself as Hōzuki Akane, a forensic scientist. "Pleased to be your acquaintance." Mikumo then explained that they were temporarily paired for an investigation. "By the way, how is that student case of yours?"

Naoto got serious, the principal was blocking her attempts to question more, saying that she had done enough. "You know, that sounds rough, you might need a warrant signed by a judge to proceed, I know a person..." Mikumo let that hang in the air. "Not yet, let's leave that for collecting evidence." Mikumo nodded, seeing a point in her refusal. "Too bad then, I wish you luck."

**~I can smell coffee...~**

Akira felt something extremely foul at the back of his mouth, it reeked worse than trash left in the sun. The doctor said that the medicine(?) had reacted in his stomach to produce a stench bad enough to knock him out. Yep, he was a lab rat, a tool to obtain data on those mystery concoctions, forbidden from telling anyone of what happened in the clinic. The silver lining was that this convinced the doctor to make a deal with him, supplying the meds needed for Metaverse exploration.

After explaining the finer details of the deal, the doctor said he was free to go home. He did get another card out of this deal, but he feared for his guts and body, as he surely would need to down more vile cocktails to earn her trust. He held a hand over his mouth as he tottered away from the clinic, feeling that he might hurl at any moment. "Mew... you were out cold for quite a while. Are you really okay?" It was now the start of nighttime, so he rushed back to Leblanc.

He was keeping his teeth clenched shut and pacing his breathing, wondering how long the smell would linger. He opened the cafe's door and Sojiro glanced at him with bored eyes. "You know, it's a pain to have to wait for you to close shop." The man put aside the cleaning cloth and pulled a key from a drawer. "I'm not going to bother with giving you a curfew, so you can even waste the night in the neighborhood, just stay away from trouble and don't fail school."

A bit more freedom was nice, even if he could only explore Yongen-Jaya for now. He nodded his acceptance to Sojiro's terms, keeping a hand over his mouth. "Hm? Did you take that stupid burger challenge? I swear, youths nowadays..." Oh yeah, there was a promotion like that in the rumor rounds, so Akira let Sojiro hold on that assumption, going off to his room.

Akira sat down on the sofa, the smell was going away, letting him rest easier. "That doctor is truly shady... Don't go dying on us." Morgana patted his leg with sympathy, feeling bad for the teenager. _"That noise he made was ominous..."_ Akira didn't remember it, but he kept gurgling in distress even while knocked out as the medicine's side effect assaulted his senses.

Once the effects were gone, Akira went to craft some more tools as he chatted with Morgana about the calling card. "Phantom thieves need a brand, an image that evokes thoughts about us." The cat was twitching his whiskers with eagerness. "Whose of you is the best artist? We cannot settle for mediocrity." Akira mused about it, maybe he could pull something from the internet to serve as inspiration.

**~It's so dark~**

Ryuji was biting the pencil and looking over the papers strewn over the floor of his bedroom. There were many scrawled sheets, some were crumpled in tiny balls, while others were still blank. _"What should I draw? Phantom thieves must look cool..."_ He had sketched many prototypes of what he intended to use as the symbol of his group. _"This one looks lame..."_

He glanced at the rough outline of a man in a tuxedo, paper crumpled due to his frustration. The things Morgana had said made Ryuji think of those gallant gentlemen from those corny light novels, all spruced up with finery. _"Tsk... this is hard..."_ He paused his mental exercise and grabbed one of his many issues of manga, intending to air his mind with action, rolling over the bed while he read.

 _"Oh~ What a coincidence, this one is about a phantom thief too!"_ Ryuji was reading about this smug teenager who was trying to steal a jewel from some fat cat, the main character's cockiness made the blond think of his leader after a battle. _"Oh yeah! Show that stuck-up detective what's what!"_ But when the reader reached a page, his eyes shone with an artistic spirit, he got to his drawing board before the fire sputtered out. "That's it!"

His mother knocked on the door, chiding him to keep his voice down and mind the neighbors. "Sorry, Ma." But he didn't drop his eager smile, he now had the perfect logo in mind for his group, the one that would be in the calling card. He roughly sketched it out before adding the finer details, smiling with pride. Top hat and a smirk, accented with the fires of Persona, it was finally done! Now he just had to wait for the order to make the card.


	15. Chapter 15

Akira and Ann shared a look of comrades in hell as the classroom filled up, the hush-hush of the gossipers floated around the air like flies. "... He dared to go against Kamoshida..." "... She was the friend of that girl, right? ..." "... I knew he was a delinquent..." Akira huffed with irritation, making his neighbors flinch away with fear. The arrival of the teacher had silenced the grapevine, for now.

The thieves got irked at the worshipping of Kamoshida's rotten ass, with the teacher lavishing praises upon that man and saying the coach was a suitable role model. _"Yeah, fuck that bastard..."_ Akira saw Ann's hand tremble as she tightened her fist, holding back everything she had to say. [Ignore him, we'll make everybody eat their words.] Her shoulders sagged slightly after that, nodding briefly her understanding.

During the break, Akira had noticed a senior girl struggling to push a cart loaded with sacks. "Need help?" She jumped at his voice, hurriedly trying to refuse his offer and say that she could deal with it by herself. "I insist." Grabbing the handles and kicking the base to make the wheels dislodge the stuck grass, he asked for instructions. "O-Okay, I need to take these to the greenhouse..."

The teen plopped down the last bag with a grunt and rubbed his back. The bags were goddamn heavy, Akira wondered why the girl was saddled with such busywork. "Ah, I like gardening, so I asked the teachers to let me use my free time tending to the plants." For some reason, the girl was flicking her gaze between him and the sacks. "Are you afraid of me?" She got flustered and shook her hands. "Don't blame me! Everybody kept saying those things, so I began to wonder..."

At his grimace, she got even more agitated. "But I now think they're completely wrong! You do look like a nice guy, I mean... You helped me without me asking for it..." Akira sighed at her antsy behavior. "I did this because I wanted to." Then he shot her one last look before turning to leave, she reminded him of those fluffy dogs for rich folks because of her hairstyle. He glanced at his phone's clock, the bell was about to ring. "Don't sweat it, gotta go back to class." As he was already walking back, she didn't get the chance for a proper presentation. _"His name was... Akira?"_

The band chatted over IM about the calling card, trying to decide the details, with Ryuji stating proudly that he already had the logo ready, but that the design was a surprise for the others. [Just send me what to write, I'll make the card!] "Nya... I wonder what he came up with..." Ann reminded Ryuji that he should try to keep his fingerprints off the card proper, otherwise they might get in hot water. With this, the chat and class were over.

Ryuji ran up to Akira as he exited the classroom. "Hey, Kira-Kira, wanna try the BBB Challenge?" The brunet tilted his head with confusion, making the blond tap his foot at the need to explain. "Big Bang Burger, dude. Let's go, please?" Oh well, he didn't have anything planned today, so it was fine. The duo glanced back in the classroom, trying to invite Ann. "No way, today is when there's a cake promotion, I won't miss it."

**~I didn't think about that...~**

Naoto was waiting in the hall for Mikumo, her testimony was being extended with the questioning from the attorney and prosecutor. The courthouse's corridors were mostly filled with respectful silence, there were only the sounds of people walking and hushed conversations. She was seated on one of the many uncomfortable benches, checking the messages from her friends in Inaba. [Naoto, we spoke with Dojima, he's gonna stop laying so hard on that newcomer.]

She had sent this request to Yu and the others, thinking about her new friend in this city. [Tell Mikumo that she can rest easy.] [I can bearly believe it... my popularity as a mascot is in danger!] Apparently Keisuke was really popular with kids despite his height, he was even likened to a scruffy teddy bear, there was also a photo of the man letting some children hang from his arms. Then the woman glanced at the closed doors. _"Why is it taking so long? It should be an easy c-"_

*Blam!* A slammed courtroom door made Naoto react with a start and look at the cause. _"It's Miss Karuma Mei... What happened in there?"_ The woman with the bullwhip from back then was scowling something fierce, Naoto recalled the tales from the victims of lashing. _"Don't look here..."_ Then Mikumo came out from another court, holding an air of anger that could burst at any second. _"Seriously, what happened with you two?"_ The irritated females matched their eyes. The extended silence made Naoto fear an impending argument.

Mikumo offered Mei a stiff smile. "Rough session?" The prosecutor huffed, pulling her whip taut to discharge some of her anger. "That naïve foolish student playing detective wanted me to accept that farcical tomfoolery of an investigation as legitimate." Mei had a sneer while thinking about that brat. "What about you, dear sister in law?" Whew... there was no fight, both were calming down. "Niijima kept insisting that the defendant should be punished, even when I gave them proof that he couldn't have done it."

Once the prosecutor was out of sight, Naoto asked Mikumo what just happened. "Ah, don't sweat about that, 'kay? Since the SIU got instated two years ago, similar stuff ends up happening." Naoto still had another doubt. "Sister in law?" Mikumo rubbed her neck bashfully. "Mei likes to say that, she's kind of family with my fiancé." Then the older female stretched her arms. "I'm up for fast food, and you?" Naoto shrugged, not minding tagging along. "Big Bang Burger, then. Let's go."

**~Now who's ready!?~**

The idol was sipping her drink when she heard something surprising. "Hm? An offer to sing for a movie?" Rise had just finished recording a session for Featherman when her producer arrived with this news. "Exactly, apparently this director heard you on the TV and decided that your voice was perfect." But he wasn't done. "And if I didn't hear it wrong, you will perform along with a band, but there's nothing confirmed yet."

Rise frowned at the director's name, Yahari Masashi. This director was an oddball even by movie folks standards, the man had boldly taken the endeavor to revitalize the Steel Samurai franchise, declaring that his film would be a definitive success. Lately, the series was mostly supported by reruns, as there seemed to be a jinx on it, what with the murders for petty pittances among actors and crew.

Nobody sane wanted to touch the dead horse even with a mile-long stick. The idol wondered about the reason the man was risking his neck with a franchise that most would rather leave as is. _"That reminds me..."_ Rise struggled to hold back a guffaw, the Steel Samurai brought up memories of a certain Shadow. Then she had a devious idea, she had been hard at work lately...

She had tuned out her producer as she mapped out her plan, yet the man hadn't noticed. "But there's no need to give a reply now, the director said you had a few weeks to-" She raised a hand to interrupt him. "I'll take it." He got confused at the sudden decision, so Rise pinned him with a plain stare. "Did I stutter?" The man got nervous. "Are you sure? This movie might be a flop and-" He shut up and set off to prepare her schedule.

**~I-I see...~**

Ann was usually the kind of girl that could endure the hardships of life with a smile, but today wasn't the case. The teenager fell to her knees once she saw the 'SOLD OUT' plastered on the glass, her precious treat was gone... _"My Master Cake..."_ Why was life so unfair...? She got up, patted her legs clean, and rechecked the selection of goods. The girl balled up her fists and kicked the dust with frustration. If that damn train hadn't run late...

But there was no good in crying over spilled milk, she would just have to be faster next time. As she stepped away from the shop- "Excuse me, Miss?" Ann whipped around at the voice, seeing the shop's chief baker behind her. "Y-Yes?!" The woman had a tender smile, offering a take-out box. "I was wondering why one of our best guests wasn't here for the sale. So I had them save a piece." The blonde blushed in embarrassment, was she really such an assiduous buyer that even the baker recognized her?!

"T... Thanks." Ann ran away after politely accepting the pastry, face still burning red. She only stopped when she was in an isolated area of the nearest park. She started enjoying the cake while gazing down at the pristine lake, watching as its surface rippled with fallen leaves and passing waterfowl. _"Shiho, I wish you were here..."_ She closed her eyes to keep the stinging at bay.

Ann looked up and saw some birds flitting by, wishing to be as free as they were, unbound from society, simply living. Then she noticed that the cake was more delicious than she recalled. _"Hm... This one seems to taste better than the others..."_ Did the recipe get changed? No, there was no reason for that. Was it because she was in need of something to lift her mood? She stretched her legs and kicked the air, thinking about the way her life had shifted in the last few weeks.

**~I'm not going back...~**

Akira and Ryuji were dumbfounded at the huge portions of heart attacks in a bun before them. "For real, this shit is huge..." They heard stifled giggling. "Pfft... your faces..." They turned to look at the neighboring booth, faces paling at the sight. Mikumo and Naoto had just finished their orders, both staring at the chunks of grease the waitress brought. "Is this your first time?" One was holding a hand to her mouth to muffle her giggles while the other had a severely judgemental expression.

Both teens sweated buckets from nerves, they were about to act really imbecilic in front of these detectives. To make matters worse for Akira, both were regulars of Leblanc. Mikumo was watching with a cat-like smile while Naoto had a quizzical frown, it was as if she asked 'are you really going to do this?' The teens gulped in unison, they had already committed to this ordeal, they had to finish it or puke trying.

"Are you ready?" The boys grabbed their burgers at the waitress' call. "Challenge start!" The teens valiantly tacked their meals. After several bites, Ryuji had his face plastered to the table, groaning in misery with an overstuffed gut. "Damn... I'm feeling sick..." The blond had clocked out at three-fourths of the mammoth serving. His mouth refused to open for another bite.

Akira was still soldiering forth in the lettuce wasteland, pacing himself and keeping track of the time remaining. Morgana could scarcely believe that the burger could fit Akira's stomach, having taken a peek at its size. It was a trial, despite it only involving food, the spectacled teen crammed the last bite in his mouth and struggled to swallow it, prompting the waitress to congratulate him and fetch his 'reward' badge.

"Haha! It's always entertaining to see people take the challenge." Mikumo noticed their tensed jaws and backed away. "... Your faces don't look good..." Akira and Ryuji were turning blue with the effort to keep the burger down. "Go to the bathroom before disaster strikes!" The duo nodded and ran for it, leaving their bags under the females' watch. "... I swear, these food challenges are stupidity incarnated..."

Naoto had a face that belied her exasperation, not seeing the point of making oneself suffer through these idiotic trials. _"Too true..."_ Morgana had nodded in agreement from inside the bag. "Tsk, tsk... That way of thinking only fits a killjoy." Mikumo was chewing on a toothpick, inadvertently wounding Naoto's feelings with her comment. _"... Killjoy?"_ There was an awkward silence and Mikumo caught what she just said. "Um... my bad." Before more could be said- *Atchoo-!* Mikumo stopped chewing the toothpick. "Someone talking about you?"

**~Well, see you~**

Niijima Sae was about to leave the courthouse when Akechi Goro approached her, gingerly holding on his side. "What happened? You look like a disaster." He let out a weak chuckle, trying to straighten his clothes. "That senior prosecutor is really dangerous, I should have listened to those pieces of advice..." Because he usually could get by with barebones investigation procedures with Niijima, he got a bit sloppy.

Sloppiness was utterly unforgivable for Karuma, so she took upon herself the job to punish the teen for this oversight of proper dealings. Akechi ended receiving many lashings in a single court session, only falling short of a certain attorney with spiked hair. "I will need to get stronger evidence, otherwise she might get angry again." The mere memory of Karuma's hellish disdain served to send a chill down his spine.

Niijima gave her condolences for the mistreated youngster. "But that's how things are. If we kept getting so many cases together, people might start suspecting that we are setting up the defendants for conviction." Akechi sighed forlornly, planning on getting some analgesic, the woman had a killer aim and left many welts under his clothes. "I hope we can work together again soon, otherwise I might die."


	16. Chapter 16

Akira had made up his mind about the operation and pulled out his phone. "Oh, so it's time?" Morgana perked up his ears. "Yes. I'll tell them too." Ryuji would need to have the cards ready for tomorrow. [Get your stuff ready for the operation.] Ryuji was going crazy with expectation, boasting about the awesomeness of the card. [We should meet up. Anyone know of a place to gather?] Ann was getting fired up as well.

[School's closed. Let's go to the park!] Ryuji sent the directions to Akira, asking the brunet to hurry up. The guys met Ann by the entrance. "Hey boys, are you ready? 'Cause I am." The group searched for a spot away from people. The thief's band looked like a simple group of friends in a Sunday outing, chatting about classes and the teachers. Morgana was perched on Akira's shoulder, enjoying the wind on his face.

Once they were sure that nobody was close by, Morgana began the explanation of the mechanics of a calling card. Ryuji wondered if they could have sent the card right from the beginning. "A Treasure won't stay materialized forever. Once the initial scare fades, the Treasure fades as well." According to what the cat assumed, the effects would last only a day or so, leaving the thieves with one chance. "And remember, once we steal the Treasure, the Palace will disappear."

The problem was... What to write on the card? "Let's think on this together, four heads are better than one, right?" Akira pulled out a notepad and pen, it was time for the thieves to brainstorm over the calling card. "He's a lustful pile of scum..." Ann was hung up on that perverted cognition the man had of her. "Yeah, those statues were too much..." Ryuji couldn't get over the way the coach pictured the volley club girls. "He thinks the school is his den of desires..." Morgana intended to have the man regret his actions. "He better be ready for the slammer." Akira had a dangerous edge in his glare.

**~See you there!~**

Naoto was exploring Shibuya and checking the alleys for anything suspicious. She was looking into a complaint about abused animals in the area. _"What kind of person is this low?"_ As she walked down the street, the detective noticed that one teenager was staring at her. "Do you need help?" Naoto swept her gaze over the young male. He looked familiar, but she didn't remember from where. He kept glancing up before dropping his focus to his feet.

"So?" He flinched at her slightly more forceful tone of voice. "Er... You're a detective, right? Um..." She looked around, he seemed to be attempting to reveal something, but this place was too public. "Come with me." - The teen worked up his nerve. Mishima swallowed the lump in his throat. "Well, I have some things to tell..." He scratched his head, feeling nervous. "Ah... You see... Suzui, the girl from Shujin..." Naoto's eyes sharpened at this, paying closer attention.

"It's Kamoshida's fault! I'm sure of that!" Mishima detailed the abuses that he and his clubmates suffered under the coach's thumb. "I bet you can find something in the PE office, only he uses that place." He was convinced that his life was ruined, so why not drag the man down with him? "Please... believe me..." Mishima sank to his knees, the steam was about exhausted and his stress weighed on him. "Do something... anything to make him stop..."

Naoto sighed and walked up to him, patting his shoulder. "What you did takes courage. Thanks for telling me this, your efforts won't go to waste." Mishima gulped, the knot in his throat was unwinding. "I should have done this before... but the principal..." The teen shook his head. "That guy had the teachers who tried to act against Kamoshida fired..." This explained how this situation came to be, at first there were those willing to act, but the censoring and rug sweeping made people look the other way.

**~That's how it was~**

Sojiro raised a brow when he saw Akira return from his outing with a grin. "Good time with friends?" The teen nodded and went to put on an apron. "So, those lessons on making coffee?" The man went to get the utensils. "Very well, it's good to see that you're making an effort." The pair lapsed into the process of brewing, with Sojiro explaining to Akira the differences between the grinds and how the time could affect the flavor.

Then the man let the youngster have his first try. "Hm... not bad for a beginner." Sojiro was a bit surprised, he had expected Akira to end up flubbing one of the steps, but it came out palatable. "Thanks. Do you think I can get to your level?" Akira had a small grin that Sojiro rebuffed with a stern look. "You were lucky, brat. You're a hundred years too early to spout those words." The teen sighed, the man still had his walls up.

"I'm going to study." He hung up the apron and left Sojiro tending to the cafe. After doing some cleaning and going over the subject for tomorrow's class, Akira went to check his supplies for the infiltration. _"Bandages... painkillers... balms..."_ If he missed some items, things might get problematic in the Palace. _"Lockpicks... smoke bombs..."_ He intended to get the goodies stashed in the many locked chests the thieves found in the castle, this would be last chance to get those.

"This will be our first heist, I'm looking forward to it." Morgana was grooming his fur, watching as the teen packed up the medic kit and the tools they crafted. "Me too. But that thing of mental shutdown..." Akira frowned, the idea still left a bad taste in his mouth. "You aren't having second thoughts, right?" Morgana had a dubious stare, but Akira shook his head. "Well, it's that thing... even if you know that someone is better dead, the idea of killing leaves a nasty feeling."

**~You see...~**

Ryuji looked at the time, he had time to run to a place to print these cards before going to school. Ann told him to not leave fingerprints, so he coated his hands with superglue, taking care to not play the dumbass and get stuck on furniture before the product dried. His mother expressed surprise that he was up and about so early. "Gotta go, Ma! Take care!" As the blond ran off the apartment complex, he was watched by Naoto from the second floor. _"That was one of them..."_

He looked around, there was nobody watching him use the card printer. "A'ight, time to do this." But with his impatience and the slowness of the press, Ryuji ended up pressing the button multiple times to try to make it hurry up, hitting the ones for multiple prints as well. "Ah, crapbaskets." He stared at the pile of cards, wondering what to do. "Bah, I'll just post them all!" He paid for the service and ran to Shujin, hatching a plan to put the cards without getting caught.

Ann saw Akira at the gates and ran up to him. "Hey, did you see Ryuji?" He shook his head, both wondered if the blond had managed to clear his mission. "Hm? There's a ruckus at the message boards..." The duo went to check it out. "That guy..." Ann, Morgana, and Akira all sported deadpan faces at what their dumb muscle had pulled. Ryuji had plastered a crapton of cards on the bulletin boards, making up 'カモシダ', the coach's surname.

Tacky. That was the word in the minds of the thieves about Ryuji's method. But it got the message across. They met the blond a distance away, watching over the crowd. "Yo guys, not bad, eh?" The guy had such a proud smile that it was a bit uncomfortable for his teammates. Ann sighed and stabbed his bubble. "It sounded like an idiot trying to sound mature..." Morgana stomped in. "The logo was... frankly, it lacks something..."

Ryuji deflated like a kicked puppy. "Urgh... but the folks are all excited... so it counts, right?" They heard stomping coming closer to the boards, Kamoshida had shown his mug. "Who's responsible for this?!" The man snarled with rage at the message, trying to find the culprit among the gaggle of students, who scattered like ants. "Hm...! You two..." He had spotted Akira and Ryuji and glared at them, completely sure that those delinquents were the culprits, despite lacking proof.

"Trying to pull a fast one on me? You're still getting expelled, I don't fear your prank!" The thieves felt something prick at their senses, it felt like facing a rabid dog who was hellbent in ripping their throats. "Pfah, I have better things to do than to deal with trash." Once Kamoshida went away, Morgana stated that the aggravation might be a sign of a materialized Treasure. "We can't fail, this is our single shot." Akira looked at his teammates, sharing a predatory smirk, it was time for the show to start.

**~I don't want to run away anymore~**

Naoto was asking around for accounts from people who saw the injured animals when her phone buzzed. [The heist will happen today.] It meant that she could put her side of the deal into motion. First, she had to get a few things, namely the recordings and photos. She wasn't sure if there would be evidence to be found at that school, but she had to make the effort, she might get something of value. Then she recalled Mikumo's offer, a search warrant would be a great help.

Mikumo was filling up her reports when she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Naoto?" She put down the pen and turned to face her. "Can you put me in contact with that judge?" Mikumo pulled a paper and jotted a name and directions, sending a message in her phone so Naoto wouldn't be dismissed out of the bat. "She is the kind of person who is very attached to justice, so I believe she will help you." Naoto thanked the woman and went off to the courthouse.

The building was as impressive as always, but Naoto had no time to admire it, hurriedly going up the steps and checking the memo given by Mikumo. _"Mikagami Hakari..."_ After finding the door to her office, Naoto took some time to calm down from her rush. It would not do to initiate a meeting while huffing like a marathonist. She checked for the recordings, they would serve to convince this judge to sign the warrant. Then that principal wouldn't be able to block her efforts.

Naoto knocked on the door and received permission to enter. "Miss Mikagami, thanks for sparing time for me." The judge set aside her pen and clasped her hands together, gazing at the detective. "Ichijou informed me that you have something important to show." Naoto nodded and told her of the coach she was trying to investigate and about her suspicions, presenting Mishima's testimony to corroborate her thoughts. "That is certainly a troubling matter. So you believe that evidence can be found at Shujin?"

The detective exited the courthouse while dialing Akane and asking for her forensic aid. "Do you have free time tomorrow? There's a place I want you to examine." The scientist eagerly confirmed it and asked for the details. _"I should call Badou too, we need someone to be the bouncer."_ Kamoshida had made it abundantly clear that he didn't respect females. Badou would serve to deter people from attempting to interfere with Akane's analysis.

**~I felt so angry about it...~**

The castle had a different feel to it, the Ruler's wariness was like the sweltering air of a sauna, but much worse and potentially lethal. The thieves were exerting the full extent of their stealth, ambushing the guards when it was better than running. The prior scouting served to cut down the time needed to get to the treasury, any shortcut was welcome. "Heh, this' easy, we're gonna blaze out with the Treasure in a jiffy!"

The path up the tower was smooth, but the wide-open doors and the absence of guards in the throne room raised alarm in their minds, was there a trap awaiting them? "Tsk... we just have to face the music as we go on." They prayed that it was merely a matter of sloppy organization by the Ruler, but it was unlikely. "As long we can take Treasure, nothing else matters." With this, the thieves reached the last room.

A magnificent crown floated over the mountains of riches, awing the quartet with its presence. "Hey, ain't Mona acting weird?" The cat was jittery as he gazed up at the materialized desire, his pupils were dilated and his tail was frozen stiff. But to Panther, the sheer gaudiness of the crown irked her, as it was also the ego of her tormentor made physical. "Why did it have to look pretty? We're talking about that slimeball's desires here!"

"Meeeeeooooow~!" The cat pounced on the crown and began nuzzling it, it was as if the feline were under a catnip high. "Mrrrrroooooow~!" Joker grabbed Mona's scruff, prying the cat off the glimmering desire, and shot him a stern glare. "Nya... Forgive me... such a shameful display before a lady... I don't know what possessed me..." The thieves added that display to the 'things that don't make sense about Morgana' list. "To be this drawn to human desires... maybe that indicates that I'm human as well, right?"

The humans weren't amused and set up to carry the crown off. "This was too easy! I thought for real that there would be some insane trap to catch us." Skull shrugged his own thoughts, maybe it was all in their heads. Joker hopped and caught the brim of the crown, prompting it to cease floating and fall on the arms of the thieves. "Gnrk-! Heavy...!" Mona was beside himself with glee, this heist had produced far more results than he expected.

**~I want you to have it~**

Mishima Yuuki had been among the people who saw the calling cards plastered on the boards, and he was also among the people forced to take them down by Kamoshida. The man seemed to be about to spout fire from the rage, promising to ruin whoever was responsible. The teen had nicked away one of the cards for himself, it was a tiny light in the tunnel for him. _"There's someone trying to help us..."_

He had no idea of what stealing a heart could entail, but anything that could make Kamoshida stop his abuse was welcome. _"Still... why did that guy run scot-free until now?"_ He was on his way home and pulled out the card to read it. _"Phantom Thieves of Hearts..."_ It was written in a collage-like style and the logo showed a cocky nature. "Haha... it's a bit tacky... but I like it." Yuuki smiled, feeling the hope that had sprouted inside of him grow stronger.

 _"Whether its that detective or the thieves... one of you must take that tyrant down!"_ And Kamoshida had even forgotten to tort-train the club due to his haze of anger. _"But who would go against him...? No, it can't be..."_ Two faces came to Yuuki's mind, Sakamoto and Kurusu. One had a grudge and was fully justified, while the other was already out of things to lose. _"It does make sense, though..._ _"_ Yuuki made a silent promise, with only the setting sun as his witness, he'd find a way to support the thieves.


	17. Chapter 17

As the thieves were crossing the throne room with the crown, they heard chorusing around them. "Go, go! Let's go! Ka-Mo-Shi-Da!" Yup, they were surrounded by enemies, with the Ruler as the spearhead. The Shadow Kamoshida threw a volleyball, striking the thieves. "Ouch-!" Then the half-naked man landed before his throne, claiming his crown back.

"I won't let anyone take this!" Of course, the Ruler would be overprotective of his Treasure, for it was the essence of their Palace. Panther had the 'luck' to take a better look at how Kamoshida envisioned her, strengthening her repulsion for him. Kamoshida sneered at the thieves. "I'll dispose of you myself. Right here, right now." Skull snarled and barked back at the tyrant. "You all made the wrong assumptions about me."

The Shadow revealed the truth about the peasants who coveted his fame. The Ruler spoke of how they did their best to hide his abuses of power. "They willingly protected me, just to receive a few crumbs of my success." This statement made Skull recoil back with shock, not understanding how people would let the man run wild. Were they this greedy for profit from the association? "Imbeciles like you and that stupid girl are too naïve to grasp that!"

Panther hung her head at Shiho's mention, acknowledging that both her and Panther were stupid by letting the man scare them into submission. "But no fool needs your permission to live their lives!" She and her teammates took defensive positions. "Drop the attitude! Using MY gifts for MY gain isn't wrong!" The Ruler was getting incensed at the insolent thieves who dared to enter his haven, face twisted with rage. "I'm above mere humans!"

Panther caught on fire with anger at the claim. "You mean beneath! You goddamn demon!" That was the drop that broke the dam. "Insolent bitch..." The Shadow began cackling madly as a sinister aura surrounded him, revealing his inhuman nature as a Shadow. "W-What the hell?!" The Ruler became a deformed giant with a gaping maw, sporting the Treasure on its head. On its four arms were an assortment of items, with the thieves getting especially wary of the fork and knife. "I can do whatever the hell I want!"

Joker donned a determined glare, gesturing for his teammates to get into position. "You are wrong! And we shall put you in your place!" With this, the battle was on. The thieves faced the nude behemoth as it brandished the wine chalice. "Shitty brats!" It roared at the intruders, slobbering all over the place. They had to find a way to catch it off guard so they could snatch the Treasure. "Get ready for battle!" Joker started planning as he summoned Arsène for an offensive.

**~You can win this~**

As a rampaging Kamoshida furiously threw the volleyballs against the walls of the gym, a girl who was in earshot got slightly fearful at the screams of rage. She tried to distract herself by tending to the plants, checking for harmful bugs and if there was the need to add either fertilizer or water. _"_ _Those rumors..."_ She thought about the male in the year under hers, wondering if he was really a delinquent.

He had altruistically helped her, she never saw him picking fights in school, and he made friends with two of Shujin's pariahs. _"If I can't believe what people tell me... then I should find out the facts myself."_ She got up from her crouched position and patted her hands clean from the dirt, it was time to return the gardening tools and go home. "Okumura? Why are you still here?"

She looked at her fellow classmate. "Niijima... Sorry, I lost track of time." She bowed respectfully to the student council's president. "Oh, there's no problem, I was just surprised to see another student still in the grounds." Niijima waved her hand before turning away, she had to fill these reports for the principal. Haru flinched when she heard another roar and things hitting the walls. _"I should be going now."_

**~There's nothing...~**

The band of thieves stared with disbelief as the demonic Kamoshida devoured the bodies from the chalice, recovering its energy and making the wounds heal. "Gr... That pile of shit..." Skull was getting angry with the fact this monster could shrug off their attacks. Now the thieves had another target. "Let's take it away from him! Otherwise, our stamina won't hold!" Joker changed to Berith and used Double Fangs to sever the bindings and enable Skull to knock the trophy away from Kamoshida, then Panther melted it into a pile of slag with Carmen's Agi.

"No way..." The demon let out a wail that pierced the thieves' ears once the prized possession was done for. "This was from when I won the nationals!" It might be a dirty move, but the thieves seized the moment of shock to land their best shots on Kamoshida, whittling out a large chunk of the monster's resistance as it accumulated wounds and burns. "GWAARHH! Do you realize who you're going against?! I am Kamoshida!"

Joker let a cocky smirk twist his lips, pissing off the Ruler even more. "So what? I only see a pile of rotten scum." Skull cackled at the prone creature. "Haha, you kept lookin' down on everybody... but now WE're the ones lookin' down on YOU. By the way, you look as lame as you act!" Panther had a sneer plastered on her face. "Just hand over your crown, give up and spare yourself the beating."

The Shadow regained some fighting spirit at this, getting up from the floor. "NO! You will never lay your dirty hands on MY Treasure!" Mona gauged the situation, they had to get the crown off the Shadow somehow. "Brute force won't be enough. Do you have a plan, Joker?" The leader glanced around and wondered if someone could sneak to the pillars and climb up to the terrace, then they'd be in a position to knock the Treasure off.

Joker glanced at their athlete. "Skull, you think you're fast enough?" He pointed out the route he wanted the blond to take. "A'ight, leave this to me." Joker leaped towards Kamoshida as Berith readied an attack, giving Skull a chance to slip away. Panther and Mona followed suit with their own attacks, making an effort to keep the Ruler distracted. The Shadow roared with frustration at these roaches swarming around him, ordering his slaves to bring several metal balls.

"Time for my killshot!" Joker hurriedly gave the order to seek protection, trying to mitigate the damage to his team. The spike was more brutal than the real version, thankfully the Metaverse made it possible to survive it. Joker spotted Skull clambering up the terrace, just a little more... "Attack!" Panther was the one taking the brunt from the Ruler, seeing how its obsession with her translated into increased aggression.

"Hang on, guys! We can beat this creep!" Joker shouted encouraging words to Mona and Panther, with the added bonus of distracting Kamoshita. "Gururu... Is there one missing?" Skull was gearing up to pounce on the crown as the Ruler noticed the lack of one vermin. _"Yosh, here... I... GO!"_ The thug bodyslammed the crown clean off, landing by his teammates and sending the Ruler into a desperate frenzy. "My precious!"

It was time to finish the fight, the quartet held nothing back against their foe. The Ruler shrank back to its pathetic human form and attempted to scurry away with the crown, only to stop right after, he was cornered. "Not running away?" Panther mocked him. "I was only taking my just share... I did all I could to please those hyenas! I only took my due reward!" The thieves barely cared about his weak excuses.

As the thieves closed in, the Shadow looked down the railing, gulping with fear. "Scared? That's what Shiho had to face." Panther had a predatory glare. "She had no choice but to jump... What about you?" She stalked closer, making the Shadow shudder with her expression. Carmen held fireballs at ready, Kamoshida sweated with raw fear, "Are you sure about this?" Mona had already given his warnings, it was improbable that the girl would listen to reason.

"I beg you... Forgive me...!" Kamoshida pathetically pleaded for mercy, but Panther pointed out that his victims all asked the same from him. "But you... You took everything from them!" A flaming sphere blew by his head, making him turn into a shuddering mess and throw the crown to Joker, but Panther still had a ferocious look. "Go ahead then. Kill me. You have the right..." The girl clenched her fists. Carmen threw the second projectile, grazing his hair and cloak.

"If his mind shuts down, he can't admit his crimes." She believed in cruel mercy, sparing him from death and condemning him to a life where he'd grow to regret everything he did. As the former ruler wondered what to do... "Atone for your sins." With this, the thieves got ready to leave and the Shadow dissolved into nothing. The entire place began shaking as if there were an earthquake. Mona helpfully stated that they had to flee like bats outta hell right now.

**~Look out!~**

"Wait, I have to-" "No, I did warn you about today." People stared as a pair squabbled, with one dragging the other. "But...-" "I said no 'but'!" A woman with a gaudy pink necktie that clashed with her dark blue suit had a firm grip on the scruff of another female with a khaki suit. "No complaining, 'kay? Rookies have to listen to their elders! Tonight is girls' night!" Naoto was being dragged by her fellow detective for a night out when her phone buzzed. [We did it.] Mikumo took a peek but saw nothing of interest. "Pshoo... When are you getting a companion to spice your life? Straight-laced ones aren't fun to tease..."

There were some others walking along them, they were Akane and Mei. "There's a bar I've been meaning to check." The scientist guided the group. "Crossroads, that sounds interesting." They didn't even look twice at the bar owner, more focused on their conversation after getting seated around a table. "To have a Shirogane gracing Tokyo, I do hope we have a chance to work together." Mei was holding a shot of whiskey as the others waited for their orders.

Mikumo had ordered some fad cocktail that had a complicated name as Akane and Naoto received glasses of beer. Mikumo was the one who spoke the most, relaying one case involving rakugo performers. "Yanno, that Els* knock-off made me so ticked off! That foreigner snobby arse kept harassing the defense..." Lala arrived with a rainbow drink for the detective, who downed a quarter straight away. "Hm~ Not bad, it tastes alright." Naoto paced her drinking so she wouldn't get smashed.

"It sure felt good to give him a taste of his own beads~" Mikumo simulated grabbing something before throwing it back. "Whoosh-! Like this, his face was priceless!" The raucous detective gave out the details of how she had looked harder into the case. "Those karuta cards were obviously fake! I mean, convoluted dying messages can easily be left by those with agonizing deaths, but not by those who died by things like strangling or smothering." Then Mikumo sighed. "Man... That sure made the prosecutor angry at me, seeing how it helped out the defense build a case against him."

Akane commiserated, having had to work for him as well. "Khura'in sure had strange customs." Mikumo clicked her tongue. "Don't mention that place. Ever since that nation became public knowledge, people kept asking me if I had relatives there." The scientist turned to Naoto, ignoring the detective with a souring mood. "So, you need a forensics expert for tomorrow? Leave it to me, then." Naoto wondered how often Mikumo called for this sort of event. _"I hope that this isn't frequent."_ After staying a little more, she excused herself to go home. "Don't forget to give me a ring! I need to flex my technical knowledge every so often."

**~I'm going home now~**

Badou and Naoto were seated before the door to the PE faculty room. Akane couldn't be interrupted in her inspection. There was a girl with a notepad who stole glances at them from down the corridor. Maybe she was considering asking about their presence here. "Hm... the students keep staring." The man had his arms crossed as the woman checked the message backlog in her phone. "Ignore them... That's how youngsters are... They like to have things to break the monotony with..."

He sighed and pulled out a crossword mag from his coat, flipping open in an incomplete game. "The name of a psychiatrist... Eight letters..." As the minutes ticked into hours, the detectives wondered how long Akane would take to finish up. "So, how did Mikumo get under your care?" Badou glanced at his coworker. "I and her father... we were usually partnered together... besides some other stuff... I had to honor our friendship by teaching her all I knew..."

It sounded like the tales Mikumo told of her fiancé and the exiled detective. "How interesting, other places rarely use this pair-up system." Maybe the higher-ups would assign a prosecutor to be the usual taker of her cases. *Stomp- Stomp-!* The detectives looked down the hallway, seeing the students flee from someone. "Hmm...?" Badou frowned and straightened his spine. "Who are you lot?! You are blocking me from doing my job!" The detectives barely glanced at the man before resuming their idle activities.

"We got a warrant from a judge. Are you above the law?" Naoto shot the teacher a chilly glare that he shrugged off, the coach focused on Badou instead. "Get up to talk with someone! You will explain your business here!" The gruff detective huffed with irritation at the coach's insistence, getting up begrudgingly after pocketing his magazine. His eye level was only slightly higher than Kamoshida's, but that was enough to make the man step back. "Spill it... What do you have to say...?"

The man snarled and tried to think of something. "I'm done." Akane exited the room, frowning deeply and shooting Kamoshida a glare of utter disgust. "I got many things to analyze. So get into gear, we're burning daylight." The detectives both went to flank the scientist. "Understood, then, let's depart." Naoto spotted Akira in the crowd, briefly nodding in acknowledgment. "Hn... There's a tram about to arrive... Let's hurry up." The grizzled elder bumped Kamoshida aside so the ladies could walk by.

The coach began sweating cold, realizing how serious the situation was. He spotted the large bag and got a chilling foreboding. "Are you stealing school supplies?!" Naoto pulled out the search warrant to show the man that his accusation had no basis. "We have the duty of investigating the claims of abuse linked to one Suzui Shiho." She then returned the warrant into her suit pocket. "So, we can take these objects for testing." Kamoshida was getting desperate, he had no sway over the trio.

The peanut gallery was going wild at the detective's words. "And keep this in mind..." Badou finished his lollypop and discarded the stick. "If the items we are confiscating now produce damning evidence..." The grizzled man now held an expression of ire, like a bear about to maul someone, intimidating the less courageous students. "There shall be an arrest." With these parting words, the members of the police force began walking away, leaving the coach frozen on the spot and staring at the door. _"My haven..."_

**~It's too late...!~  
**

*Hek-choo-!* The man frowned, it wasn't pollen nor flu season yet. "Yo, grimdark! Are you getting a cold?" He glanced at the peppy detective in charge of the case. "Miss Ichijou, how is the investigation going?" She clicked her tongue with annoyance at his stuffiness, before handing over a sheaf of reports to the prosecutor. "It's all in these files." He took the papers and began reading as Mikumo went to buy a drink. "By the way, you should touch up your guyliner, it's a wee bit smudged. And... behave, 'kay?"

He sighed once she was out of sight, this woman wasn't someone he wanted to irritate by accident. _"I can't follow her pace... That lass is like a bronco. Well, there will be a reassignment. So, we're going to part ways soon."_ He prayed to not land another crazy detective. _"I do hope to get a serious partner."_ Ichijou was enough madness for a lifetime, especially after that incident with all those crows. _"How did that hellion even do that?"_


	18. Chapter 18

Ryuji and Ann passed by Kamoshida, who was still standing where the detectives left him. Both glared at the man, but the other students dismissed the sight, chalking it to past grudges. "I wonder when that will happen." "Shush!" Neither blond had sympathy for him, both wouldn't care if he keeled over and croaked. To see Naoto take action gave them hope, their leader had put his bet on her to deal with Kamoshida. Ann hoped that there wouldn't be a cover-up, otherwise their operation would be for naught. They walked to a location with fewer people roaming around for their chat.

The male sighed once they were out of earshot. "Dude... The wait-and-see ain't for me. I'd rather see it happen, like, right now!" Ann jabbed a finger at his chest, getting a startled face. "Listen here Ryuji. Didn't you think that Akira and I aren't nervous too?" His kicked-puppy face made the girl calm down. "Just learn some patience, who knows, maybe he'll confess in front of an entire audience, then there will be no way to cover it up." They snapped their mouths shut at the sight of Niijima coming in their direction. "Tsk... the hardass StuCo Prez is doing her inspection..."

The older female was watching them, a pair of outcasts hanging together was surely up to no good. "Anyway, seeing that creep made me annoyed, I wanna go shopping!" Ryuji stepped away, raising his hands like shields. "No way, I'm not going to be your pack mu-" Ann grabbed his blazer and winked seductively. "Come on, be a nice guy and I might let you take on a date?" The guy scrunched up his face. "Nah, I'm not falling for that. And the sexy tone doesn't fly with you. Man, you really stink at acting." This struck a nerve within her, she grabbed his lapels and began shaking him angrily for his cheeky retort.

Makoto sighed as the pair started a round of back-and-forth of complaints, with Ryuji refusing to follow Ann's whims and her futilely trying to convince him. She resumed her rounds, wondering why those law enforcers came to Shujin and took some things from the PE faculty room. The principal had his britches in a twist, demanding her to investigate if there was anyone who could have blabbed about the suicide to the authorities. _"Could it have been the transfer student...?"_ But if she took his profile in mind for his possible behavior, it seemed unlikely. _"Why would a delinquent trust the police?"  
_

**~It's a no-brainer~**

Naoto faced Akira once he plopped down across her in the booth, ignoring Sojiro's glare. "I trust your day has gone without incidents?" He chuckled as he let Morgana sit on his lap. "Yeah, nobody wants to test whether the rumors about me are true, so they leave me alone. And I saw something quite interesting too." She shook her head, eyes glinting with amusement. "It was simply part of the job, that scene was the fruit of happenstance." Still, he couldn't deny that the gobsmacked look in the coach's face was hilarious. "Dunno, I'd pay to have a recording."

She shot him a faux glare and called Morgana to sit by her. "What about those two?" He shrugged. "Ryuji and Ann are nice to hang with, so I guess we will stay friends, like, the trio of outcasts or something?" She sighed at his morose tone. "At least you found friends quite fast, I know how creating bonds can be hard." Akira frowned at that. "But what about that chick?" Ah, Mikumo... "I'd say that she was the one who took the first step..." The woman even skipped several stages to boot... Then the teen began asking about Kamoshida's case. "Are you getting any progress?"

"What I can let you know is this... It is very likely that he will go to trial, you were a good contributor with those pictures." This was enough for him, it indicated that things were in motion, and surely the change of heart would be more than enough to counter any wrenches the principal or some other people might try to use. "I advise you to not worry about things away from your control. I will do my part." Morgana pawed at her hand. "Naoto, we know you can do it." Akira nodded in agreement. "We only ask for him to face his misdeeds."

Sojiro had frowned with disapproval when Akira insisted on bothering the detective, despite his warnings to stay away from the customers. He huffed forlornly, to give orders to adolescents was like herding cats, nigh impossible. He watched as the woman chatted amiably with his charge and petted the cat on her lap. _"Now that I think of it, it's not a bad idea to let it be."_ She could be a good influence on him, showing him that it was better to leave the problems with the authorities and coast through life while keeping his head low. Yeah, that was something he could support, so he decided to stop trying to scold the kid.

**~You're on a roll!~**

As Mikumo walked towards the office to get her cases, she spotted Jin as he stood a ways off, looking in. "Who's your new partner?" He turned to face her. "Shirogane." She blew off a stray hair off her face. "Try to be nice, 'kay?" At his dismissive grunt, she crossed her arms, not dropping her smile. "Come on, grouchy panda." He got a tic under his eye, she loved to poke fun at him. "... Fine." He clicked his tongue, this woman would be the eternal stone in his shoe. Her expression became neutral, with a slight crinkle between her brows. "I'm being serious here. Be cordial, at least."

He thought about the Shirogane, her reputation of seriousness and professionalism preceded her. "We shall see. I'll test her mettle." He entered the building and went towards the rookie. They exchanged greetings before talking about the case. "So, who is the ruffian?" She handed him a file with some information. "Kamoshida Suguru, a teacher from Shujin." He checked the historic, noticing that there were some reports of unruly behavior back when he was still in his prime, then something caught his eye. "And this, the search and seize mandate?" Naoto explained what Akane had done. "... The judge will examine the testimonies before indicting him. I predict that it will take a few days before the arrest order gets dispatched."

He bit down on the feather, musing over his offensive approach for the court. "This suicidal victim... Where is she?" Naoto had expected that question, so she turned to the door, motioning for him to follow her. "She's still comatose, but stable. Come, I'll take you there." During the trip to the hospital, Jin mused about the victim, wondering how was her mental state until she took the last step. But if there was one thing he was sure of, is that this criminal wouldn't slip his grasp, not even if those attorneys came to defend his slimy ass, no matter how unlikely the idea was. The medical professionals and common folk shot them dubious stares as they walked towards the room where Suzui Shiho was interned.

Jin scanned the medical report, frowning at the severity of the injuries the girl suffered. "What are the doctor's predictions?" Naoto grimaced. "They say that it will be a miracle if she awakens." Yuugami closed his eyes, deep in thoughts, the file and those photos painted the picture of a ruthless tyrant seeking his past glory. This man had abused his power, tortured students, and even pushed this girl to the brink. He could see by the list of wounds and the doctor's notes that Suzui was truly lucky to have survived the fall. "Hn... Let's put his head on the chopping block." The detective nodded, having a promise to fulfill as well. "I will send the pertinent reports."

*K-chk-* The pair turned to face the door as a blonde girl entered. Ann was uneasy at the sight of this evil-eyed man in Shiho's room, wondering why he was there. "... A visitor?" His gaze pinned her to the spot, like a hawk watching a kitten. "Takamaki. How do you do?" Her head snapped to face the detective, taking some relief at a familiar and conscious face. "Erm... I'm fine... Who is he?" The detective presented him to the girl. "The prosecutor on Kamoshida's case, Yuugami Jin." The man recalled the surname. "I assume she is one of your sources of testimony." Ann clenched her hand, his face didn't spark trust within her, but she had to take this leap of faith.

"Please, sir." He raised a brow with curiosity. "Don't let Kamoshida run free, he needs to pay for everything he did!" He snorted with amusement. "That's my job, young lass. I intend to use the best of my abilities to put him in the clink." The teenager watched the duo depart in silence, taking a seat by Shiho once the door closed. "Did you hear that? Kamoshida will finally reap everything he did." She gripped the slack hand, trying to reassure herself that her friend would beat the odds and awaken soon. "Shiho, open your eyes and talk with me..."

**~This is so frustrating...~**

The band of thieves felt as if there was something clawing at their insides as they waited for any signal of Kamoshida's change of heart, but since the day the detectives came to Shujin, the man had disappeared, apparently feeling under the weather. Kawakami had informed Akira and Ryuji that the man was in a self-imposed suspension. They weren't sure if the shift in behavior meant that they had succeeded, but they tried to be optimistic.

Ann had taken to visiting Shiho regularly, both to keep tabs on her current health state and to keep herself from drawing worst-case scenarios. Neither of the males blamed her for preferring to spend time with Shiho, it was almost a mean for her to cope with the uncertainty. Ryuji was spending most of his free time by performing running exercises, not desiring a repeat of his cramp in the Palace and wishing to recover his fitness, despite the bad leg. And Akira sometimes joined his races, taking training advice to heart.

Akira and Morgana were going through the motions as a student and his sassy cat, trying to not make waves and keep Sojiro pacified. But they couldn't shake off the feeling that the man also had things to hide, what, with that strange man with false politeness and greedy eyes. Should he take a closer look? _"Maybe I should wait to see what is really going on with Sojiro."_ Perhaps it was a family matter, one that he had no business sticking his nose in. The days went by eventlessly, Naoto had even stopped coming by Leblanc, too busy with Kamoshida's case as she collaborated with the prosecutor in charge.

**~Don't be afraid~**

The judge had to purse her lips as she read the investigative files, it would not do to let herself stray from impartiality. "But if the court proceeds as it should..." She gave the order for her assistant to prepare the pertinent warrant, it was time to pass the criminal by the edge of justice's blade. "By this warrant, I state that one Kamoshida Suguru is indicted. And his arrest is to be enacted posthaste." After putting her identifying seal, she sent the paper to the precinct closest to Shujin. Once the one in charge received the warrant, he redirected it to the detective in charge.

Naoto lead pair of officers into Shujin, they would serve as muscle if Kamoshida was to resist his arrest. "... Where are the students?" As they peered through the windows, only empty classrooms and hallways graced them. "Hm? I hear voices from there." They heard a racket from the gym and went to check, finding a groveling Kamoshida on the stand as people gawked and gabbed about his sudden confession. The trio of law enforcers opened a trail past the mass of rowdy students, not minding the startled gasps nor the faces of shock. Naoto stood before the mongrel. "Kamoshida Suguru, you are under arrest. Surrender peacefully."

The man offered his wrists for the cuffs, still kneeling like the scum he confessed to being. "You are charged with several accounts of abuse, most pertaining about the students under your coaching, misconduct towards minors, and at least one account of suspected sexual abuse." The crowd let out a simultaneous exclamation of disbelief at that last part. "You have the right to stay silent, and you have the right to nominate an attorney for the trial. The prosecutor in charge will be able to inform you better." The men flanked the coach, hooking their arms under his to carry him away.

One of the female teachers attempted to vouch for him, pleading at the Shirogane. "I'm sure this is just a mistake-" She fell quiet at the gelid edge in the detective's eyes. Naoto scrutinized the stranger, remembering seeing that face from her earlier investigation. "... Kawakami Sadayo, stand aside, or you might be charged with obstruction of justice." The teacher lowered her head and retreated, letting the officers take the scum. Some of the students in the volleyball club turned their heads away, hiding their eyes and the hope that sprouted within. _"So the Phantom Thieves ARE real!"_ Mishima had to hold his hands in his pockets to not cheer.

The thieves were quietly celebrating, Morgana was smiling from his seat at the gym's windows, Ryuji let out a fist pump, and Ann bounced on her heels. Akira had a covert smirk when Naoto caught sight of him. She then tipped her hat slightly in acknowledgment to thank him for making her job simpler. She had let slip to him that the prosecutor was one known to be ruthless, and he even got tutoring from the current Chief Prosecutor. _"Throw the whole book at him."_


	19. Chapter 19

Once the coach was taken away and the crowd had dispersed, the thieves remained in the gym a bit longer, mulling over the results of their heist. "Man, did we really do the right thing?" Ryuji was looking at Akira for confirmation. "I think so, he would have kept at it if we left him alone." The blond male scratched his head, taking those words at face value. "Yeah... You're right..." They turned their heads to watch Ann, she was standing stiffly while keeping her sights on the podium, where that man was until a few minutes ago. "For real, things are going by too fast..." The group heard steps coming in their direction, it was Mishima and some girls.

"What do you want?" Ryuji and Akira got guarded, recalling what Mishima did. "Please, forgive us, Takamaki!" The other students bowed to the blonde, making her jump with a start and turn around. "Huh?" There were profuse apologies, as the group admitted that they had seen Kamoshida's actions, but preferred to ignore it. "We all knew... but we pretended we didn't..." One of the girls apologized for spreading rumors, knowing them to be false, while the other felt sorrow for following the flow. "I didn't know at all... It must have been miserable..." Ann shook her head as those people kept asking for her pardon, sighing while thinking of her own mistakes.

"It's OK. The same goes for me too..." She shouldn't have taken the harassment and have sought help instead. "That's all in the past now." The group of students spotted a teacher, who was sending the stragglers to their classrooms. "Return to class at once!" With this, the teenagers parted ways with awkward goodbyes, promising to talk later. Mishima lingered behind, facing Akira with pure regret in his eyes. "I'm really sorry, I can't ever apologize enough for what I did to you..." The boy looked up to Akira, a seed of determination sprouted within him. "But I swear that I will find a way to make up for it, someday..." The spectacled teen simply nodded, so Mishima walked away.

The thieves were surprised to see the impact of Kamoshida's change of heart, perhaps his confession was the first domino of many. Ryuji patted Ann's shoulder while grinning. "See that? Good for ya! Now the rumors will die, maybe." But she didn't seem to see the importance in that. "I don't care about my situation. Just hearing Kamoshida's regret for what he did to Shiho is enough for me." Talking about her... Ryuji and Akira told Ann to go and tell Shiho the news. "You should hurry up and go there." The girl smiled at her friends. "You're right, she deserves it."

**~Go for broke!~**

Kamoshida had downcast eyes as he sat in the back of the police car, that detective he had disrespected had such a deadly glare... _"I'm scum... I deserve worse..."_ The ride was quiet and brief, soon the door opened to the detention center. "Get out, chump, and no funny business." The coach was pulled out by a grip on his shoulder, but he didn't complain. "Eh, he's meeker than I thought... C'mon champ, where's your pride at?" The officers had disdain for him, manhandling the detent towards one of the interrogation rooms. One of the policemen knocked on the door. "Sir, we have the arrestee."

A man who had faced Hell stood in the room, handling some files as the cops forced Kamoshida to sit before him. "Leave, I can deal with him alone." The door clicked shut and the prosecutor fixated predatory eyes on the criminal. "I have some questions, do answer them truthfully." The coach lowered his head. "How many students did you abuse?" This opened the floodgates, Yuugami didn't even have to ask anything, as Kamoshida freely admitted to every crime during his time in Shujin, even the sexual harassment and the assault perpetrated against Suzui. "Hn... You do know that you're in for life, right?"

Yuugami crossed his arms, watching as the criminal deflated and squirmed on the chair. "I deserve the death penalty!" He huffed at the dramatics, but something nagged at his mind. _"He's irrefutably guilty, yet his remorse sounds forced... Is it truly possible for someone to shift their values this thoroughly?"_ No, while the human psyche was a mysterious place, one of the things he was sure of was that criminals like Kamoshida became so entrenched in their sense of entitlement that they ceased to see their acts as wrongdoings. _"I will keep an eye for new cases. ... And this may be linked to those incidents..."_

He did notice the strange epidemic plaguing Tokyo and its secondary effects. _"There are groups studying the human mind... and if one of them managed a breakthrough?"_ Then he glanced at Kamoshida, who was waiting for more questions after he was asked to shut his trap. _"Yes, that is a plausible possibility... The government would covet such a tool."_ The difference between Kamoshida, the prisoner, and Kamoshida, the abusive coach, wasn't dismissable. If there was really a way to force a mental makeover, the potential for abuse was tremendous.

**~It feels really bad...~**

Naoto had stayed behind, standing by Shujin's gates and thinking about the group inside. _"Now, what will you do, little thieves?"_ Her work wasn't done, she still intended on hunting the culprit for the mental breakdowns in the Metaverse, but she couldn't force those teenagers into helping her. _"Who knows, maybe they will try to forget that place..."_ It would be good to have the teens on her side, alas, she would make do if they decided to avoid the Metaverse. _"And who are you, Morgana?"_ The cat reminded her of other mysterious beings, Marie and Margaret. Her phone buzzed with a call. "Shirogane speaking. ... Yes. ... Where? ... Understood."

Rise was lounging by the lake while sipping a smoothie, watching the ducks swim by. Her manager looked like he had many things to complain about, but she had earned the break, effective as soon the gig for the movie was over. _"Hmph, it's not as if I had run away, it's just a deserved leisure time."_ She had even promised to accept his next assignment without fussing, to make up for her pushing him into that awkward spot. _"When is she going to arrive?"_ One of the waterfowl dove in and surfaced with some aquatic plant, and there were some warblers singing in the distance.

Soon the detective appeared and sat by her, initiating a friendly chat as one told the other of interesting happenings. "I've got a nice surprise for you, but you will need to wait a few months yet." This picked Naoto's interest. "Is that so? I expect it to be really good then." Then Rise asked about the teenagers. "Well, would you believe that they managed to change the heart of a criminal?" The idol shook her head. "It sounds like those anime 'power-of-friendship' gimmick, but I don't think you can lie about that." Rise schooled her expression, getting ready to deal with her real goal. "Honestly, I didn't call you here just to chat." Naoto frowned at her serious tone. "Rise?"

"Naoto, I've been thinking... I want to take part in this, let's join efforts to explore the Metaverse, okay? I won't forgive you if you leave me out." The detective knew to expect this, so she simply nodded. "When I get a chance to access that place, I will call you." She sighed, now there was the need to present Rise to at least Morgana. "... Can you make time in the morning someday? I want you to meet that person." The idol stated she would try, but made no promises. *Crick-* The detective jumped off her seat and looked around for eavesdroppers. "Who's there?" Naoto and Rise checked the area, but they only saw a cat skitting away. "Whew... It must be nerves... Still, we should find a better place next time." The pair of friends bid their farewells and walked back to their jobs.

**~Show it what you got!~**

As soon as the bell rang, Ann had dashed out, intending on relaying the news to Shiho, so only the males were currently at the rooftop for the meeting. Ryuji was still reeling from Kamoshida's confession, having honestly been taken by surprise. "So it IS possible to change hearts..." The blond leaned back on his chair, thanking their lucky stars that there was no breakdown. "This is an A+ job!" Morgana was pensive, taking everything they now knew in consideration. "Stealing Treasures doesn't cause mental shutdowns, even though the Palace disappears..." This was a vital piece of information. "Do you have any idea of the effects of a heist now?" "Yeah, you're the Metaverse expert here, dude."

The teens asked the cat of what he thought. "Hm... It seems that we persuaded the Shadow to return to the real self..." It meant that killing Shadows was really killing a portion of a person's mind. "Yes, that must be the correct procedure, subdue the Shadow non-lethally and convince it to merge with its owner, and remove the object of their obsession to take away the chance of relapse." This was a burden off their minds, as they wouldn't risk accidental manslaughter through cognitive collapse. Ryuji tilted his head, mulling over it. "So we can make the bad guys confess without bad effects?" He pumped his fist and grinned. "That works for me!"

The door opened, startling the group. "Do you have to be so loud?" Ann scolded Ryuji as Akira and Morgana heaved sighs of relief. "Don't sweat it, man. By the way, how did it go with Shiho?" Ann's bright smile made the thieves perk up. "She woke up!" The males were happily surprised at the good news. "F-For real‽" Her eyes got misty, her emotions were reaching the boiling point. "Yes..." She started wiping her eyes, the tears had broken the dam. "It was just a few minutes... *Sniff-* But I did get to talk with her...!" The teens went to pat her back, showing support. "I... I told her of Kamoshida's confession and his arrest..."

The guys made her take a seat as Morgana got on her lap, purring comfortingly. "Shiho... she said she was sorry..." Akira and Ryuji traded looks of confusion. "She... she found out that I was flirting with Kamoshida for her sake..." Ann wiped the streaks running down her cheeks as she reminded the conversation. "And here I was... wanting to apologize..." The cat rubbed his head against her chin, meowing softly. "It's not the fault of either of you. Remember, it started with Kamoshida." She scratched his head. "I know... and her parents plan to transfer her to another school once she recovers..." Nobody could fault that decision, the entire situation would make Shiho be labeled by everybody who knew of it, much like Akira.

"And Shiho agreed to it..." Ryuji had a look of sympathy. "It's gonna get lonely..." But they knew it would be better for the girl in the long run. "Look at the bright side, she's alive and you can always visit." Ann resolved to learn from this and change as well. Now that she was calmer, the boys took their seats. "By the way, you sure held back against Kamoshida's Shadow." They wouldn't have blamed her if the fireball had landed. "I just wanted Kamoshida to reap what he sowed." Morgana put a paw on her hand. "Still, it takes a strong heart to do what you did." And even if the man deserved death, none of them wanted to deal with the guilt of murder.

"You're misunderstanding me. I think the better revenge is having him repent." This silenced the blond and the cat, she was serious. "Now he will grovel for the rest of his life for forgiveness. Right?" The thieves took mental notes to not get on her bad side. "I do believe that there are things worse than dying." There was a brief silence. "Holy shit, girl..." Akira and Morgana only nodded in agreement. "Uh, well... Now the jig's over..." Then Ryuji recalled one thing he wanted to ask. "Why only Kamoshida had that Metaverse thingy?" Morgana shook his head, this was a misconception he had to dispel.

"He isn't the only person with a Palace. Anyone with a heart warped by desires can create one." This was quite the concept to digest. "Do you wish to check it by yourselves?" The teens shook their heads. "Nah, let the dust settle. Kamoshida's arrest is sure to make shit hit the fan." They were unsure if there would be people suspecting their group, even if there were no ways to prove their involvement. "Well, there are plenty of rumors about you two, Akira, Ryuji." Ann relayed the gossip she had caught, things like threatening the coach and such, seeing how their necks were on the line until the man got thrown in the slammer.

Ryuji was indignant, but it was only logical to disregard the calling card as a prank and try to spot plausible culprits. "Not even I believe it, and I was there..." The consensus was to wait until the shitstorm abated, then they would decide if they wanted to keep exploring the Metaverse. "One more thing, my dudes. Let's see how much the medal is worth. The sooner we pass it on, the better." Ryuji did a quick search on his phone. "... Huh? Only 30 grand‽ Aw, shucks..." Akira really wanted to save the money, but between the blondes and Morgana, the general vote was to eat out to commemorate a successful heist.

Ann was in charge of choosing the place, setting the date for the last day of the holidays. "Alrighty then, the 5th. We're counting on ya." Now for the elephant in the room... "Who's going to sell the medal?" Before Akira could open his mouth, Morgana affirmed that the guy would be the one to deal with it. "We know of a good store, right?" He glared at the furball. _"Let me say my piece, will you?"_ "Yes, I don't think we'll face issues." With this, the meeting was over and the thieves exited the school.

**~It's like an endless stream~**

Yuugami faced the girl sleeping on the gurney, having heard of her recovery and escape from the coma. _"Let's see how well she truly is."_ She would be of no use if she ended unconscious during the trial, so he hoped that she could heal enough to stand as his witness, seeing how the heaviest crime was tied to her. "... n..." Her face twisted with pain and her eyes cracked open. "Greetings, Suzui Shiho." She struggled to turn her head to face him. "... Who...?" He presented himself as a prosecutor. "D-Do you want... me to testify... Kamoshida...?" The man nodded, perhaps she had heard the news through the blonde lass. "There is no need to attend in court personally. I can make arrangements if you agree to be my witness."


	20. Chapter 20

Akira was walking towards Leblanc and taking peeks at his phone as his friends sent IMs, Ann wondered if the medal was the real deal and how it ended in the Palace. "The original medal should be still in his possession, the one we have is a by-product of the Metaverse." Morgana was grooming his fur and inspecting the medal, laying inside the bag. Ryuji was confused, seeing how it was virtually a perfect copy of Kamoshida's prized Olympic gold. But it meant one less thing to worry about, they weren't stealing real things by taking the Treasures away. [Wanna forget about my debt?] [That's different,] Ann and Ryuji somehow went in a tangent over that childhood debt. "Uh, dolphin?" Akira and Morgana watched as Ann explained the situation.

[I said I was sorry... That was for my mom.] They could hear the pitiful tone loud and clear, then Ryuji snapped back to the medal issue. [Anyways, we don't gotta worry about selling that medal off if it's a fake! End of the story!] Akira saw the icons grey out as the blondes left the chat, then he pocketed the phone. Morgana pawed at the medal with a critic's eye. "Kamoshida won't ever find pride in his achievements, that surely is a punishment worse than death from a certain point of view." The exact situation Ann wished upon the coach. "To have your conscience forever looming over you... Brr..." The bell rang as they entered the cafe, hearing Sojiro bemoan the incoming holidays. "More customers and even more work..."

Akira deadpanned, wasn't it usually good to have more instead of less? Weirdo. The teen sat in one of the booths and pulled out his school supplies. "Going to study? Good." Sojiro put away the mugs and the pots of grinds. "Alright, I'm headin' home. No making a mess here, okay?" The door was locked, leaving Akira and Morgana alone in the cafe, only the white noise of the TV and the occasional comment from Morgana filled the silence. _"Cognition_ _is 'the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses'..."_ As he finished filling some answers, Morgana hopped on the table and put a paw on his hand. "You should stop for today and get some sleep."

**~That's the spirit~**

Badou was patrolling the streets of Shibuya, keeping an eye out for anything off. _"Shirogane has been laying low lately... At least Mikumo doesn't suspect anything yet."_ He was mentally preparing for the day his protegé came to badger him for answers, he couldn't have her rushing off half-cocked like she used to do in her rookie years. _"To think I almost lost her because of that assassin... Shirogane, you better know what you're getting into."_ The young detective had busted an abusive coach, leading to the discovery of several filed complaints that were forcefully closed and buried in the archives. _"It's good to see youngsters doing honest work."_ The man stopped by a convenience store to get some refreshments to calm his stomach.

While waiting for the cashier, he thought over the current state of things in this district, there was a gang extorting people, mainly students. The police expected that the presence of officers would at least decrease the number of victims, as the criminals were slippery bastards. _"Now that I think of it, wasn't she taking some undercover stints?"_ He prayed that Mikumo wouldn't get caught during her outings, hoping that she would keep his teachings in mind. "The change." He took the coins and the bag, taking a seat at the nearest bench. The panels showed the news about that coach, reprising some interviews and the videos taken by students. _"The prosecutor... it was that Yuugami brat..."_ Talking about brats, Badou himself was paired with quite the spry colt.

 _"Garyū... What did that girl use to say? Glimmerous fop?"_ The man had asked the detective to dig up some archived complaints, all pertaining to some artist. He wondered what the prosecutor had found as amiss when it came to the denounced. _"But if there's really something fouled up..."_ If there was one thing Badou loathed, was cover-ups. He disposed of the trash and resumed his patrol, scanning the mass of people for suspicious faces. His phone rang, so he took a post by a store before picking up. "Badou here. Oh, Mikumo..." He smiled slightly, she seemed worried that he was still out and about at this time. "Don't worry about this old man, you should be taking care of that lad of yours. ... Fine, I will use thicker clothes next time..." He wondered when their roles began switching, with her as the worrywart and him as the scolded.

**~Oh, nice move!~**

Morgana perked up at seeing Akira awake and was about to pester him about selling the medal when- "Boy, come help me out, instead of sleeping all day." His ears drooped at that and Akira put on his working clothes. "We do owe him..." The teen went downstairs, helping serve the morning rush of customers and wiping the tables clean. Naoto came in at one point, but there was no time for small talk, which annoyed Akira, as he wanted updates about Kamoshida. "Get to washing the dishes, I have to make a new batch of coffee." Akira simply plastered a plain look to his face and carried the mugs and silverware to the sink.

Sojiro sat down once the flux of customers dwindled. "Heh, sorry for pressuring you into doing this." Akira shrugged as he rinsed some plates. "No problem, I'm the one occupying space." Then he heard something interesting in the news, the fall of an Olympic medalist. Shujin's gates came into view as the reporter relayed what was disclosed to the public. There were some videos picked from the net showing the moment Kamoshida confessed in the gym and when Naoto came into the scene to arrest him, ending with the man getting carried by the police. Sojiro frowned, it was an incident from Akira's current school. **"What caused this habitual offender to suddenly confess these heinous crimes to his entire school?"**

Kamoshida was apparently under interrogation, the police expected to get answers about his crimes and change of heart. "Isn't this...?" Sojiro was getting curious, hearing some anonymous interviewed students report what they knew of the case to the camera. Some were females, who told the reporter about the sexual harassment. "I knew it. This is your school, right?" The man recalled how Naoto had conversed with Akira in secrecy, wondering if the detective had used the teen to obtain evidence of the crimes. "Hn... I don't really care." Akira was more focused on the washing. Sojiro sighed at the tone from the teenager. "Whatever, just remember to keep your head down, the nail that sticks out is hammered down. And I have more errands for you."

Akira clicked his tongue, getting ticked off at the piling demands. _"So you want to make me work all day long..."_ And as expected, he didn't have time to go out and sell the medal, his arms were fatigued, and Morgana had a look of pity. "The chief put you in the grinder..." Akira's phone buzzed, the chat was all about the afternoon news with Kamoshida, Ryuji was sure this blew any lid the principal might have used. Now the thieves only had to worry about the preparations for the celebration in two days. "Meow... We got to sell the medal tomorrow." Morgana was sporting a determined face. "Make sure to firmly refuse to help the chief, no matter what." Akira nodded and laid on the bed, letting Morgana curl up on his stomach.

As soon as the alarm rang, Akira got ready to go out, packing the Mona bag. He had a mission to fulfill, but as he walked past Sojiro- "Make sure to do the dishes." The teen and the elder matched gazes, with the latter raising a brow. "When I get back." Sojiro frowned. "Do it, don't act cocky with me." Before an argument could pop up, the bell rang and a serious-looking woman entered the place. The prosecutor looked at the males. "Am I interrupting something?" The owner shook his head, so Niijiima took a seat. The news resumed with the incident involving a train, it seemed that the authorities still didn't have leads, despite the rise of psychotic breakdowns. "That again?" Sojiro huffed, those policemen were a bunch of layabouts.

"Doesn't it pique your curiosity?" Niijima gave her opinion about the epidemic. "Can those incidents really be mere coincidences?" The man shrugged and asked her order. "The house blend, please." As Akira was about to slink away, Niijima turned to face him. _"Crud."_ She gauged him. "A part-timer? I didn't know this place could afford one." Sojiro sweated a little. "Yeah, he's a worker, what of it?" Akira wished her to drop the subject. "You look like a high-schooler, where do you attend?" Akira saw she would insist, so he replied honestly. "Shujin? Someone I know goes there too." She expressed sympathy for incoming turbulent times, but once she started talking about Kamoshida, she grew serious. "Can a person's mental state change so easily?" Then she asked for her order, giving Akira the perfect chance to escape. _"That was stressful."_

**~Don't let 'em get you~**

Iwai was idly reading a magazine, Kaoru had gone to the nearest library to study, so the shop was quiet, the way he liked best. Then the door opened, making him glance up from his papers. _"A gumshoe?"_ No, it wasn't the usual hecklers who kept trying to get a rise from him. The female had the posture of someone used to watching over her shoulder. _"_ _That hair and cap look familiar..."_ He resumed reading once he saw that she was looking over the wares. "Excuse me, could I see the revolvers?" He pointed to where those were displayed. As long she didn't mess with the placement, he didn't care if she kept checking the goods. _"She seems used to guns..."_

Naoto had to admit, the man had quite the selection of models. "I want to test these ones." Iwai picked the revolvers, checking them before handing over. _"The balance is a bit off, but it's close to the genuine article."_ She kept trying some of the guns to find one she had an affinity with, settling with one that resembled her first revolver. _"He also has model knives..."_ Wait, why would the man have whips on stock? Iwai saw her dubious stare at the coiled leathers. "These? They are hot stuff with some women, something about a devil prosecutor..." Oh yeah, she did meet the possible culprit. As she perused some of the accessories, another customer entered the shop. Akira reacted with a start when he spotted Naoto, covertly sending her an IM. [Please go outside, I can't make this deal with you here.] She stared at him with a raised brow, but complied, intent on getting an explanation later.

He breathed easier once she left, walking up to the manager. "You again? What's your business?" The man had an air of suspicion. "I want you to buy this." Akira pulled out the gold medal, catching his attention instantly. "Why do you have this?" The man stared at the dangling medal. "... Kid, I don't deal with fakes or stolen goods. Wait, lemme see it." Akira handed it over, seeing him handle the metal disk with close scrutiny. "... I won't ask anything. How 'bout 30 thousand?" It was Ryuji's ballpark, so it worked for him. "Deal." The money changed hands and the manager stashed the medal safely.

Then the man got tense for some reason. "It's almost time..." Akira got surprised when he got a paper bag shoved on him. "Here, take this. It's a 'thanks' for sellin' me that medal." The teen frowned with confusion. "Don't open it, and bring it back next time." He nodded. "Great, now get lost." It was then that a pair of men intruded the shop, they looked like trouble. "Do you know why we're here?" The seller had an expression of disinterest. "Dunno, you tell me." The younger male got aggressive, it seemed that this place really had earned some of its seediness. "Hey, you sure that lead was legitimate?" Akira was about to go out, but almost got detained, only escaping thanks to a bullshit excuse from the manager. "The kid's just a customer. You can check the tapes if you want."

He quickly ran away, not wishing to be around when the cameras showed the medal sale. "Hey, did you forget about me?" But he still had Naoto to deal with. "Um, hey?" The woman had her arms crossed. "Explain, what deal?" Morgana sheepishly told her about the Olympic medal they just sold and explained its origin. "So Treasures become real items... Hm, that's good to know." Then the cat asked to see what was in the bag. "Hm? You aren't dealing with illicit items, right?" To placate the detective, Akira let her check it. "... It's a model gun, but..." Why the hell would the manager use Akira to get rid of it? "It looks real enough to get you detained. Be careful with it." Naoto decided to give Akira a vote of trust and returned the bag.

"Akira, you should buy it." The woman glared at the cat. "Mew... But think of it, Naoto! If real guns can't be used, why not use guns that are virtually indistinguishable from the real ones?" The detective sighed and shook her head. "Just promise me that you won't get in trouble." Akira pursed his lips, feeling like a dog being scolded. "Well?" "Yes, ma'am." Then she glanced at Morgana. "By the way, I have a friend I want to present to you, but she's currently busy." The pair got curious, was this person part of her old group? "I have to go. Stay safe." With this, Naoto walked away. "That was scary..." Morgana still had some hackled hairs from her glare. "Don't I know it?" Akira sighed and returned to Leblanc.


	21. Chapter 21

Sojiro frowned at Akira once he returned to the cafe, gesturing at the pile of dishes waiting for a wash. "Get to work, boy." Akira pursed his lips and went to change into work clothes, donning the apron and picking the scrubber. *Ding-* A man with a gruff countenance stepped in and scanned the place. "A new face, you look like a detective." Badou glanced at Sojiro, nodding before taking a seat by the counter. "Yes, Mikumo told of this place." Akira peeked at the veteran and asked himself of how that peppy woman could be linked to a man that belonged in a hardboiled cop novel. "I want something sweet." The teen and the hidden cat almost gaped in shock, that guy was the complete opposite of Naoto and Mikumo in looks and taste, those two always took their coffee black and bitter.

That conviction only got reinforced when Sojiro served the steaming mug, with Badou taking a sip and reaching for the sugar cubes right away, dumping three in before stirring. "Now that's more like it." Sojiro took a mental note of Badou's sweet tooth for his next visit. "Do you want some curry? I got sweet ones for kids." The detective checked the time. "Okay, it's almost time for a meal, anyway." Akira and Morgana were still reeling from the gap shock until the owner nudged the teen to resume his work. "Less staring and more washing." Still, Akira sneaked a few more glances at Badou, seeing him pull out a bag of lollipops and pick one to snack on while the curry was being prepared. _"Looks can fool, and HOW."_

The teen wondered if the detective could hit it off with Ann, with both having quite the appreciation for sweetness. _"That's... I think it might happen, for real..."_ Badou picked his phone and began talking. "Mikumo? ... Hey, I'm not on the streets, okay? ... I'm at that cafe you told me, Lablanc? Ah, Leblanc. ... Yeah, yeah, I'll go straight home later, don't worry." If Akira's image of Badou as a sour and gritty officer was already cracked by his taste, this call was like a wrecking ball, the guy seemed to be receiving a scolding from the caller like a bratty kid. _"What's next, a rockstar prosecutor?"_ Akira thought better of taunting fate and simply finished with his duty, going upstairs once he was done. Once he was in his room, his phone rang. "Hm, it's Ann."

**~Great job, guys~**

"Hnn... Uncle is so stubborn..." Mikumo was lounging on the floor while waving a teaser for her cat, barely paying attention to the TV as a report about some coach was aired. "Well, he's quite capable of taking care of himself." She pouted at her companion on the sofa. "But I can't help but worry..." He sighed, she was always a bit pushy, but she made an effort to curb it down to acceptable levels. "So, what do you think of Shirogane?" She rolled to face Reiji, who was holding some documents. "She's as stiff as you, but she's friendly. I guess that she is quite by-the-book- Oi!" She squeaked when the cat pounced on her face. "Haha, Sissel is still like a young kitten..." The detective pried off the animal, mock-glaring into golden orbs until the cat meowed softly, so she squished its cheeks together. "Aw~ Why can't I stay angry at you?"

She let the cat escape her hold to get some water. "Mikumo, how are things going with that operation?" She sighed. "It's risky, that guy is always wary, so I have to wade through quite a lot of dirt to not get busted." Sure, she had some leeway due to her job as an undercover agent, but the law would strike her down if she slipped. "I know that I can't forbid you from those jobs... But I ask you to be careful." "I know, but Mei really wants to throw the guy behind bars, so I'll do my best to help her." Besides, it would be a great service for society, as the criminal targeted young people and baited them into the underworld, turning them into addicts or even slaves. "Tsk... that tub of lard has a face that pisses me off..." The detective scowled at the memory. "I'd love to have a chance to punch him without consequences."

**~Good luck, everyone!~**

Akira's phone rang with another incoming call once he finished talking with Ann. "Who is this ti-" Morgana got worried at the strange emotion in his eyes once he checked the ID. "Hey, mom, it's me." The teen sat down on the sofa, his voice was strange to Morgana's ears. **{Son, sorry for not calling earlier, but-}** He sighed, this was opening old wounds. "No, don't worry about that, I'm happy you called." His mother sounded like she didn't buy his excuse, but relented. **{Is that so? Well, is Sakura treating you well? Your father said he was a good man, yet I still worry...}** Akira mulled over Sojiro's actions. "He's a bit strict, but I'm fine." He could hear the breath of relief from the speaker. **{And how is school? I saw the news...}** Figures that an ex-Olympian would earn quite the coverage for his crimes.

"Ah that. Well, I did see the guy from far, but I had no issues with him, so there are no problems from my side." He hoped that this would calm his mother. **{That's a relief... Son...}** His eyes became serious, predicting a difficult topic. "Yes, mom?" He was dreading this route. **{I and your father... We're sorry that we couldn't do anything about those charges...}** Akira gritted his teeth, flashing back to that damned night. "Mom... that wasn't your fault... It was of that drunkard..." He felt bad for making his parents worry. **{You grew into a good person... I'm proud of you, but the house feels empty without you...}** Morgana lowered his ears, that expression was tearing at his heart. "Mom, I miss you and Pops too, but it's just one year, right? It should be a good lesson for me."

The cat felt pride for him, his resolve was strong, despite him sounding like he'd break anytime soon. **{If you see it like that... I have to hang up, sleep well and stay healthy, son. I love you.}** He took a deep breath before replying. "Love you too, mom." Akira waited until the line was cut before throwing the phone at the bed, lowering his head and clutching his hair. _"Why me...?"_ Morgana swallowed the knot in his throat, Akira was struggling to not let his emotions overflow. "Akira?" The look in his eyes was haunted, he kept visualizing that accursed day when he met the man who ruined his life. "Hey, you have a friend in me, okay?" The cat approached him gingerly, cautious to not set him off. "Morgana...?" The teen gazed at him as he curled up, offering support. "... thanks."

**~I'll be cheering you on~**

Yuugami was going over the transcription of Kamoshida's confession as he traced his plan to convince the honored Baldness to rule the coach as irredeemably guilty, no matter what his defense might spout. _"Hn, Shirogane got several testimonies and photos for proof. But maybe I should obtain more material to work with."_ He'd put a request for permission to interview the students and staff from Shujin, it was to be enacted tomorrow. "Sir, I found the archived complaints." He looked up from his desk to face his partner, who brought a pile of folders. "Good, leave it here, I'll read them later." Naoto picked one to read and frowned, it had been thrown into the inactive files without even a cursory investigation. "Whoever was behind this, they really wanted to avoid having Kamoshida detained..."

"That's the ugly mug of society, those buzzards would never let go of the prize without a fight." And he was sure that now, once they noticed that Kamoshida was beyond salvation, they'd deny any involvement with the man, not wishing to sully their pristine reputations by continuing to protect a known criminal. "Shirogane, do you have a hypothesis about the main culprit?" He saw her take a few moments to think. "The principal, most likely. He attempted to interrupt my investigation about the attempted suicide." His eyes hardened, marking the man for later, intending on finding out if there were more scummy deals to be uncovered. "You will tell me more about him, once we lock this puny trainer. For life." The detective nodded at the order.

"What do I have to do now?" He told her to round up some personnel for Shujin, the sooner the better. "Understood." Once she walked away, he set down the papers, thinking about the mysterious change of heart again. _"Those breakdowns... The pattern is erratic, but the aftershocks always end up affecting those in positions of power..."_ This deduction was quite worrisome, for now, it was targeted at politicians and CEOs, who ended up replaced and falling from grace. _"No, it's reasonable to think of that progression. But I do not wish for it to come true."_ Whoever was calling the shots, had their sights on politic and economic power, it was a matter of time until there were advances into the legal sphere. _"Unless..."_ Maybe it was already too late, the police were easy to corrupt. And the Chief Prosecutor was only one man. _"No, I refuse to accept this."_

**~Be cautious~**

Akira and Morgana looked up at the building, Ann sure had gone out of her way for luxury. "She sure has good taste." It was a lavish hotel and the food seemed to be quite the high-end stuff, hopefully, the medal's sale would cover the price. The pair found their friends and paid for the admission fee. _"It's like a stab to my wallet..."_ The group claimed one of the tables and went to get their picks from the buffet. Ann went with sweets and pastries, Ryuji was gorging on the meat selection, and Akira was savoring the shark and fish stew. "This is so damn good, man." Morgana swiped some pieces for himself when people weren't looking. "This food is truly worthy of a celebration." Ann then recalled something she heard. "There will be police officers coming to Shujin to interview people."

The boys cringed, the rumor mill was cranking out tales about them, using their enmity against the coach as material. "Our names are gonna come up, for sure." Akira prayed that Naoto could hold her side of the deal as the lead detective, she might get to brush off those rumors and keep her colleagues off the gang's tail. "But we got 'em pumped up! I keep hearin' stuff like 'The Phantom Thieves really stole his heart'!" Ryuji focused on the bright side, mentioning how some people seemed grateful. "Check this." He pulled up a site for the others to see. "The Phantom Aficionado Website...?" Ann had a dubious expression, the page was as tacky as Ryuji's card. She read some of the encouraging and thankful comments left by the visitors out loud. "Pretty cool, eh?"

"Seeing people saying all this feels... strange." They had done this for themselves, but there were people appreciating their efforts. "Hey, boss... What do we do now?" Akira shrugged as he ate some spoonfuls of stew. "You planning on eating?" Ryuji deflated at the dry reply. "Well, of course, but..." Ann shot up from her seat, exclaiming that they were on a time limit. "Oh crap, and it's only an hour!" The blondes raced out to get more food, both intended on eating all they could from their favored menus. "Get some for me too!" Akira barely managed to say this before they got out from earshot. "Nya, I wonder what they will bring..." Ryuji and Ann were barely balancing their share on the plates. "Only meat? And she's all about the cakes..." The cat grimaced at their meals, but the blondes only cared about eating what they liked.

"Where's our share?" Ryuji pushed a plate, it was a lot of dishes haphazardly mixed, mostly beans, it was quite the bland rainbow variation. Ann wasn't better, with fried bananas, preserved eggs, and goddamned extra beans. "This is just plain grotesque..." Morgana had lost his faith in their palates, so he ordered Akira to get their own pick. "Those two just don't know what fine dining means." The teen just nodded, the little gourmet was staunch on this. Akira navigated the buffet while listening to Morgana's tips, getting to eavesdrop on some interesting conversations among 'elites'. _"Hm?"_ He peeked at some tables a bit farther away, spotting the familiar face of Mikumo as she conversed with a couple with ruffly clothes and a man with a feral grin. "I guess that some people are more than they seem... Right, Joker?"

At another table was a woman who seemed to be an idol, the name escaped him, chatting with an eccentric man with a gaudy heart-patterned suit and his serious-looking manager, with a young man with a red jacket and a burly one with an orange jersey listening in. "They seem to be talking about making a movie." Then Akira remembered that they were on the clock and rushed back to the table to eat. Ryuji teased Akira and Morgana, with them returning the favor until Ann pointed that they all brought too much food. "It'd be a shame to let it all go to waste." The males set into the ordeal of eating the mammoth meal. _"Urgh... It feels like no matter how much we eat, the amount of food stays the same..."_ It was the BBB Challenge, Luxury Buffet Edition.

And predictably, the males ended with overstuffed gullets and feeling sick. "My belt feels too small..." Ryuji exclaimed how this was a victory, prompting Akira to shoot the nastiest glare he got. "Is this a game to you?" The guy backpedaled at that and denied it, then he gurgled and held his stomach. "I gotta go to the bathroom." The guys got up and rushed for their stomachs' sake. - After relieving the overload on their guts, the trio was waiting for the lift. "You even talked about eating until you puked... Are you some kind of moron?" Ryuji snarled. "Drop the act! You puked too!" They tried to recall the floor for the buffet. "It has to be on a lower floor, right?" As they stood idly, a bunch of bodyguards around a bald dude came and bumped them aside.

Ryuji almost picked a fight, but the men were intimidating. But the bald one just had to diss them and one of the dumb muscle shoved Ryuji back. "Hey now, that wasn't nice of you." The boss of the lot looked back, spotting a pair of men with serious faces. "Garyū, Ichiyanagi, I didn't expect to see you here." The blond brushed his braid back. "Me neither, Shido. Why are your subordinates hassling these kids?" The older male snorted. "They started it, as expected of riff-raff." The male with maroon suit shook his head. "Unless our eyesight has gone bad, we're sure of what we witnessed. People with power shouldn't abuse it." The elevator's doors opened, so Garyū and Ichiyanagi took the chance to return their acts in kind and tugged the pair of teens with them, pushing the button to close the lift.

"Eh?" Ryuji and Akira had eyes wide open, not expecting it. "Heh, I think I saw you at the buffet, so it's no issue to share a ride." The blond adult offered a courteous smile as his companion nodded. "Uh, thanks..." Akira then thought over the confrontation, that voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't pin it down. _"No use worrying about it now."_ \- Ann snapped at her friends, still feeling irked at some rude woman. "I wonder if we're out of place here..." Akira sighed forlornly, they were the band of pariahs, after all. "It always feels like this." Ryuji saw his friends get dejected and asked Morgana about Palaces, reiterating the fact about strong distorted desires and Treasures. Ann and Akira faced Ryuji with confusion. "... I was just wonderin' if we'd be able to change those kindsa people too." "You mean, as Phantom Thieves?" He nodded, affirming that there were people in need of their help.

"If we ignore people in trouble, we'd go back to square zero." Morgana popped his head out of the bag. "You are under my tutelage, so I'm confident that nothing can stop us. For we are proud thieves." The will to change society burned within them. "But that means we'll have to fight Shadows again, right?" The cat nodded and Ryuji was unworried. Akira could feel the resolve from the blondes. "Alright, let's do our best to help people." It was settled, their group would continue their activities. "By the way, are you really OK with being the leader?" Akira shrugged. "Fine by me." It was time to decide on a name for their group, with the group pushing the final say at the leader. "Let's see... 'The Phantoms'?" Nobody saw issues with that, the next step would be picking a new target. "Now then, this is the official formation of the Phantom Thieves organization!"


	22. Chapter 22

Akira felt a hard and cold surface to his back before opening his eyes, along with a weight on his arms. _"This place again..."_ He got up and faced Igor, who congratulated him for obtaining allies and carving out a spot for himself in Tokyo. "The time has come... Your rehabilitation will soon begin." Akira grimaced at the mystery and wanted answers, what did that long-nose mean with rehab? "I shall explain it to you now..." Apparently, Akira had the potential for something, but the weirdo wanted him to refine it to face some 'ruin'. "... That is the rehabilitation cast upon you." That sounded ominous, so Akira asked for details, anything served, but Igor merely told him to temper his strength by facing Shadows and crafting Personas. Justine and Caroline added by telling him to forge and nurture bonds with people in reality. "Thanks to the contracts you've formed, your heart is steadily gaining the power of opposition." Igor let out a creepy chuckle and bestowed a new ability upon Akira. "May the devotion to your rehabilitation grow even deeper." With this, the twin wardens kicked him out.

Morgana was about to start his shenanigans, but Akira opened his eyes and got up. _"Tch..."_ The teen got dressed for school, letting the cat jump in the bag. - Akira listened to Kawakami's lecture after she instructed the students to stay mum about Kamoshida. She touched upon psychology, saying that people could have different personalities lying within their minds, they could be wildly different from the actual person. "... If you actually saw one of those personalities with your own eyes, might look like a monster." Akira snorted with amusement, it sounded like the Metaverse's Shadows. "Hm? You all seem more alert than usual." The teacher got intrigued at the lack of murmur among the rowdy adolescents. Morgana smiled, the field of psychology seemed to hold some insights about the other realm. Akira wondered if he could get something worthy of his time from those book bricks back at Leblanc.

By lunchtime, the thieves met for small talk, with Ryuji gushing about the site dedicated to them, that is until he saw the trivial problems people wanted them to solve. Then they heard some students question their existence, most were sure it was make-believe and worried more about future prospects. This made Ryuji get more determined to find a big shot for them to take down. "We don't have any leads yet, right?" Ann sighed dejectedly. "Looks like we have to simply go through a normal routine." There was no need for undue stress, Morgana reassured them that their time would come, they just had to be ready for it and keep an eye on the news. "I guess sometimes things just don't go the way we want 'em to..." Well, the reality wasn't kind, the things they needed to advance wouldn't simply fall on their laps.

**~It's not a big deal~**

The portly principal heard the door open, his guest had arrived. "Excuse me." A girl with a serious air entered the office. "You saw the state Kamoshida was in, didn't you?" The man held his head, the coach had such an abrupt change, so he worried that there was foul play. "I'm not sure I follow..." The principal brought up the rumors about students who held animosity against the coach, and it seemed that there were attempts to extract confessions from volley club members. "Who could they be...?" The girl frowned as she mulled over his words, because if she had interpreted his insinuation correctly... "Do you mean all of this talk about those 'Phantom Thieves'?" He nodded, urging her to discover whatever she could about the matter.

"This shall also ensure that I handle the mass media and police in the correct fashion." The principal would check on the incarcerated coach and get a grasp on the situation. "Unless you find whoever did this, these irresponsible rumors will likely never die down. Don't you agree?" The man then praised the girl for her good academics and behavior. "I could write you a recommendation for any college of your choosing, Niijima Makoto." He fixated his beady eyes on her, seeing her become flustered. "Your lineage must certainly play a part in this excellence." For her sister was a young yet successful prosecutor. "If something disappointing were to happen here, that wouldn't reflect very well on your sister... Do you understand?"

Makoto gulped at the veiled threat, her sister wasn't deserving of having more pressure to deal with. "... Yes." She had to do all she could to prevent this from blowing up. "How wise. It's no wonder you're our student council president." He grinned, having convinced this girl to take on the job. "I ask that you begin at once." The girl nodded and left the office to start her investigation of her fellow students. Once her footsteps were out of earshot, the principal reached for his phone and made a call. "It's about the matter we discussed earlier... The investigation will begin immediately... I will get results... I should be able to update you soon... Thank you very much for your time..." Once the line was cut, the man dabbed at the nervous sweat on his bald, hoping that Makoto would produce results, or his rear would be toast.

**~It can't be any worse~**

Badou watched the dinghy shack from a distance, that was Madarame's ostensive residence, but Garyū had done some digging and found out that the old painter would pay regular visits to a woman, who had a mansion on her name, yet lacked the background to afford one. _"Haah... So there's really something shady going on... That brat has good instincts."_ And there was another thing that intrigued the veteran, Kitagawa Yusuke. Garyū, once he heard about the kid, had gone off to check on something by himself. _"What does the boy have, to make that prosecutor this nervous?"_ Badou had been asked to keep tabs on Kitagawa, but he didn't receive a reason for doing so. _"I'm going to query him later."_

Garyū Kyouya wasn't a rash man, but even he had some triggers that would make him incensed, and the fine arts were among them. He could be an ex-singer, but he held a passion for alternate artistic displays, such as painting, and accompanied the news closely. Madarame Ichiryūsai had piqued his interest for being supposedly a man of many styles, even as the rockstar still attended school years ago, but there was something in his works that bothered the prosecutor. Kyouya recalled one of the artist's pupils whose works had enraptured him, he even bought some of her paintings. The 'Sayuri', Madarame's purported magnum opus, felt awfully similar to her style... _"If my hunch is correct..."_ He felt that Madarame wasn't genuine, but he would have to obtain evidence if he were to rip off the gilded coating from Madarame's pristine fame. Kyouya held disgust for forgeries and those who profited off them.

**~I want your honest opinion...~**

Naoto was leading some of her fellow detectives, instructing them on Yuugami's directives as they walked into Shujin. "He wants our efforts to be well spent, so avoid empty questions and don't worry about cutting meaningless rants short." The men acceded to the orders, nobody here wished to go against the Twisted Samurai. The school's gates were opened for them, the students and faculty stared at the officers as they went towards the main building. Ryuji gawked from a window, slightly fearful that the rumors would paint a target on his back. _"Dang, the coppers are here again?"_ Their presence led everybody to conclude that there would be an interrogation about Kamoshida.

Ushimaru was meek as he presented the student council's room to the officers so they could settle in, guiding another group towards more empty rooms where the interviews would be held. Ann had been in the crowd of rubbernecking students, spotting the detective before she and the others got ushered into classes. Two of the thieves were worried that there would be suspicion cast upon them [We don't need to worry.] Akira trusted that Naoto would manage to rein in her coworkers and trim off any rumormongering that could implicate them at the bud. The blondes were still worried, but they decided to trust Akira's words. [We did what was right. Don't go freaking out over some label.]

[Man, I really can't wait to keep living this double life!] Ryuji was enjoying the thrill of being a burglar traipsing around right under the noses of those police officers. Akira pocketed his phone and waited for the classes to end. - The teen was put away his supplies and was about ready to go home, it seemed that the detectives would return to interrogate more, only barely covering the entire first year lot. Akira noticed Mishima staring at him during classes and wondered what he wanted, waiting for the boy to make the first move. "... Hey." Mishima started chatting with him in hushed tones. "Have you seen the Phantom Aficionado?" Akira raised a brow, what was he getting at? "And if I have?" The guy scratched his head bashfully.

"Actually, I'm the founder..." This was surprising, then Mishima got pumped up from nowhere, checking for eavesdroppers before leaning closer. "You guys are the Phantom Thieves, aren't you?" Akira kept a neutral face, what proof did he have? "Give me some space." "... Sorry." Mishima calmed down and stepped back. "... If things really are like that, I should keep it a secret." He held a regretful expression. "I did horrible things to you all... This isn't much of a way for me to apologize for it..." Then Mishima puffed out his chest with determination. "But if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know!" Akira ruffled his hair and sighed. "That's great, but..." Despite his tone, Mishima smiled with perky anticipation. "I'm glad to hear that. There are more evil people out there..."

"But I'm sure the Phantom Thieves will do something... They can't let this end after just one target." That was emotional blackmail, how the hell did Mishima manage to pull off an effective puppy face? "That's why I made that site, people can post their problems there." The boy was getting wound up again. "There are lots of people waiting for the Phantoms to move, I'm sure of it." He mentioned the anonymous poll that asked if one believed in the Phantoms. "I... hope one day this forum will be full of supportive posts." Mishima behaved like a kid begging for permission from their parent. "I really want to to help the Phantoms!... Can I, please?" Akira could see how adamant the guy was in this request, so he shrugged. "It's up to you..." Mishima grinned. "Okay, then!" Akira felt a card materialize on his hand, wondering what Mishima could offer.

**~I just want to help~**

Naoto received the reports from her fellow officers, having to sort through them and filter out the relevant information to pass on to Yuugami, she could infer that he'd get massively rankled if he had to go through papers that would add nothing to his case. _"Oh well, that's part of my job, so let's start right away."_ It was mostly repeated information, but the names and specific events were annotated separately, it could be something of interest for the prosecutor. Mikumo passed by and gave her a look of condolences, leaving a sweet roll to provide some brain fuel. "Good luck." Badou stomped past her desk, grumbling about some painter and cover-ups, chewing through lollies as a train did with coal.

Jin had traced most of his case and arguments, having listed every major crime perpetrated by Kamoshida and the due aggravating circumstances and causes for enhancing the final sentence. If everything went according to the script, the coach would be jailed for life, and in the unlikely case that his potential defense managed to weasel their way out of that ruling, the man would still face at least two decades of life behind the bars. _"Feh, I still have to shave out the issues with Suzui..."_ The girl had accepted his deal to testify against Kamoshida, but she didn't have a prognostic that would enable her to stand in person before the judge, he'd have to use a set-up similar to the aquarium's case and put up a request for the appropriate resources.


	23. Chapter 23

The students were chatting loudly about the questions given by the police to the faculty and students, wondering how much dirt was uncovered. "Okumura, it's your turn." The girl thanked her classmate and went off to the designated place while hearing the murmur of the crowd, the place was afire with speculations about Kamoshida. The officer was watching the last student he had to interview enter the room, rubbing his forehead at the work that prosecutor had saddled him with, it was exhausting to go through all those teenagers who spoke way too much and kept trailing off. "Let's see, you are..." The girl sat down and held her hands on her lap, back stiff and straight. "My name is Okumura Haru." He raised a brow at the surname. "As in, Okumura Foods?" She nodded and waited for the questionnaire. "Er, well... Let's start then. What were your interactions with Kamoshida Suguru?"

Haru relayed her interactions with the former coach, answering the questions about whether she had heard something about any incidents involving Kamoshida. "What can you tell me about the rumors of him being threatened by some students?" Haru was pensive, recalling what she could about it. "Well, it started after a student tried to..." "You mean, the suicidal girl?" Haru nodded, feeling the bile rise to her mouth. "Yeah, I saw a boy go to the PE room and heard screams, but I don't think that Kamoshida was threatened." The man hummed over what the girl seemed to imply. "So, what you want to say is... Kamoshida was the one making threats?" The girl nodded. "Every time someone stood against him, I heard bad rumors about them..." The officer groaned at the situation, this was quite the tangled mess, Kamoshida now had multiple accounts of coercion to his name.

**~I doubt they'll make any difference~**

The other thieves were surprised to hear that yellow-belly-chicken Mishima was the creator of the Phantom Aficionado Website, having eavesdropped on the conversation. "Has he figured our identities?" Akira snorted at the cat's worries. "I think normal people wouldn't think of you, Morgana. I bet he made a wild guess." But the fact Mishima had a suspicion was concerning, still, maybe the site could be of use to the thieves. "Anyways, we gotta get lookin' for a new target." There were also the preparations needed to delve in a Palace, such as gear and med-kits. "Wait, oh CRAP!" Ryuji jumped at something he just remembered. "D-D-Don't we have an exam comin' up?!" Ann needled him over his studying habits, starting a match over whose of the blondes had the worst academic dedication. "All you're good at is English!" "I'd rather that than be bad at every subject!" Even Morgana got in the pissing contest, taking shots at Ryuji. When Akira saw that Ryuji and Morgana were veering into the physical confrontation zone, he shoved the cat back in the bag and gripped the blond's shoulder in warning.

Akira was walking down the hall when he spotted the girl from the newspaper club, she seemed to be cracking her head at figuring something to write about. "... What do you need?" She was nervous around him but gave him a few minutes to chat, which he used to get some data about their fellow students and the teachers. "Thanks for telling me. By the way, you know the lead detective?" "Um... do you mean Shirogane?" The girl was antsy to hear what he had to say. "She's always hanging by this cafe, Leblanc, maybe you could interview her?" The girl gripped her notepad and fiddled with her pen. "Leblanc, you say? Well, maybe she won't tell me about Kamoshida, but... Yeah, maybe I can ask about that..." She began muttering to herself as she wrote some questions on her pad, so Akira resumed his stroll. Some of the officers were talking to the teachers and students, intent on finding more crimes to pin on Kamoshida, as per the prosecutor's orders.

He had nothing much to do now that classes were over, so he decided to hang out with Ryuji. "Dude, I really wanna talk... or, I guess, more like to vent." Something seemed to be troubling Ryuji, so Akira figured there was no harm in lending an ear. "You wanna grab some ramen? I'll show you my go-to place. The flavor is outta this world!" It was a restaurant in Ogikubo and somewhat far, but as the blond had said, it was worth the effort. "This shit's the best, man! Ramen is life!" After they had finished their meals, Ryuji started talking about his past with the track team before shutting himself. "I guess that's all in the past... By the way, I've seen Nakaoka around a few times..." Akira asked for details on this fellow. "Are you worried about him?" Ryuji mulled over it, perhaps he still held some concern for his ex-clubmates. "Yeah... kinda."

"I've been thinkin' about what he said..." The guy had accused Ryuji of ruining the team, for they were supposed to tolerate Kamoshida's abuse, but the blond had snapped. "... I think he was right." Because of that incident, the track team was resourceless and unable to use school supplies. "It's good they're keepin' their heads low now, though. I don't want 'em endin' up like me." Akira sighed, understanding Ryuji's feelings of misery. "I get what you mean." He patted Ryuji's back. "We're both outcasts here, huh?" The blond realized how his friend might have it way worse, considering how the rumor mill kept shitting out wild talks about his supposed criminal past, despite him being quite a swell guy. "Heh, we really don't belong anywhere... but yanno, maybe that ain't so bad after all." If Ryuji was still with his team, he might have never approached Akira. "So, uh... it's all good."

Then Ryuji got pumped up. "Hangin' out with you guys is so freakin' cool!" Akira chuckled awkwardly at his cheer, as it felt a tad overwhelming. "... I just hope there's something I can do to help those track guys." Ryuji didn't have the foggiest idea of how to do it without making it worse. "Oh yeah, we still gotta find a new spot for our trainin'." The blond didn't want their fitness to suffer, otherwise, the Palace exploration would be harder. "Later, dude." The duo gave their goodbyes and went home for the day. "Ryuji may be dense, but he's pretty considerate." Morgana wondered how such a nice boy ended up shunned. "Well, I'm glad to have him as a friend." Akira walked back to Leblanc while chatting with his cat.

**~Be cautious~**

Lala was putting away some cups when a pair of women entered the bar. "Hey there! I want sake!" Mikumo had dragged Naoto with her again, stating she needed to loosen up. "You gotta learn to relax, 'kay? Jin is good at making people get wound up." The younger one sighed, her senior was more stubborn than a herd of mules, even Badou had stepped off the way. Mikumo plopped down by the counter and Naoto sat by her, asking for something light. "Hey, I heard that things are going smoothly with your case." From what Mikumo could gather, Kamoshida was as good as jailed already. "You could say that. His confession has closed some venues that he could use to escape." Naoto had those thieves to thank for it. "Urgh... In the meantime, I'm buried under my infiltration gigs... It sucks balls..."

Naoto listened half-heartedly as Mikumo complained a storm about her past undercover missions, bitching about some 'fatso' and how he made things hell for her. "This is worse than the phantom menace!" Mikumo banged the counter with anger, not paying attention to how Naoto got intrigued. "Phantom?" "Yea, yea, you weren't here when shit went down." The woman had gone a little over her usual limit, so her tongue was a bit looser. "There was this assassin who fucked the law system royally." Naoto heard Mikumo explain vaguely of how the 'dark age of the law' came to be and how the courts became a dumpster fire. Because Naoto had been away from larger cities back then, she wasn't as involved with cases of corrupt trials.

"Shit... I had to get shot at a fuckton of times..." Mikumo began grumbling about how she had obtained a blood sample from a scuffle with the phantom killer, having been ambushed by the assassin for knowing too much. "Kuh... I bled a lot that night... I thought I was gonna die for real..." Naoto wondered how much of what she was saying was real, and not hyperbole brought upon by the alcohol. "Sheesh, it was tricky to not have the blood washed away by rain..." Alright, Naoto decided to ask Badou for the exact details, Mikumo seemed to be blurring reality within her addled mind. "The guy was merciless, I even had to play dead and drop off the map..."

Naoto sighed once her colleague stopped making sense with her rambling, asking Lala to stop giving her drinks and swap them with water to see if she sobered up a little. "Oh, Ichiko, nice to see you." Lala greeted the incomer, who also got a seat at the counter. "The usual, and keep it coming!" It was a woman with aviator sunglasses and casual clothes. "Oh, hey, new faces?" She faced Naoto, as Mikumo had her face on the counter and was grumbling incoherently. "Um, hello. I'm Shirogane Naoto." The woman had a surprised face. "Oh, THAT Naoto, the former Detective Prince? Hello there, I'm Ōhya Ichiko, I'm a reporter." The detective found herself interrogated about her past exploits.

Ōhya seemed to notice that she had been rambling and bombarding her victim. "Oh, I asked a lot. Now it's your turn, a fair trade, right?" Naoto glanced at Mikumo, she was taking a nap, knocked out by her overdrinking. "Okay then. Hm..." She wondered what was most pertinent at the moment. "You said that you are a reporter. Could you tell me about the mental breakdowns?" Ōhya got serious and frowned. "And why would you ask about that? Do you intend on investigating it?" Naoto wondered what made the woman react like this. "You could say that it's a matter of personal curiosity." The reporter knocked back her drink and let out a hiss at the burn. "I'll give you a warning, don't make it obvious that you're looking into it. You might find yourself in danger."

Naoto was fully aware of the risks, knowing that there was a conspiracy. "I will. But this means that you do know something, right?" Ōhya clicked her tongue. "You got me. Well, from what I managed to gather until now, there are several people profiting from those mental breakdowns, be it directly or not." Naoto heard some things that she had already deduced by herself, but Ōhya shed light on how large was the network, giving the detective an idea of what she was about to provoke. "Still, I wonder how these breakdowns happened, there's nothing, no drugs, no gizmos, no scientific malarkey..." Naoto let out a wry chuckle, the truth was stranger than her theories. "Thanks for telling me. Maybe we could strike a deal?" Ōhya made a dubious expression. "I'll give you insider knowledge, and you tell me your findings of these incidents. What do you have to say?"

**~Can you hear me?~**

As Sojiro had given him a key to Leblanc, Akira took the chance to explore Shibuya at night. "It looks different, but it's still crowded..." The teen had noticed a middle-aged man performing a speech, despite not many stopped to pay attention. Then he noticed a tall man with a black coat and chewing a feather who was listening with complete focus. "Heh, so No-Good-Tora has learned from his mistakes..." The man had the eyes of a hawk, calculating the worth of the politician's words as he spoke to the few spectators. By his side was the blond who had helped Akira back at the hotel. "Well, he has fallen of grace once, so the only path he had was upwards, it's nice to see that he grew as a person." The man readjusted his maroon suit and stood straighter. "Besides, he's one of the few not bandwagoning with Shido..." The one with black clothes scoffed. "Pfah, that man is leading those dotards like sheep, it's a matter of time until they walk off a cliff."

The teen decided to check what had those men paying attention. "... There have been far too many incidents recently to ignore! Can anyone deny this!?" It seemed to be a speech about the mental breakdowns and scandals, Kamoshida included. "The apathy that permeates society is a direct result of negligence by our government and the media." So that's what drew that pair in, the man seemed to be intent on addressing these issues. Akira's eyes met the man's. "You're listening quite attentively. Are you interested in politics?" Akira scratched his head, he might have listened in to the news and heard his parents comment on it, but what about himself? "Hm... I am, actually." The man checked his face. "Are you a student? I'm delighted to captivate the interest of someone your age."

The man closed his eyes, thinking hard about something. "I could use the help of a youngster, but I can't hire someone inexperienced." Akira wondered what the man intended to have this hire do for him. "I'd be happy if you stopped by to hear one of my speeches again." With this the man departed, mentioning that he'd be at some beef bowl restaurant. "Pretty humble for a politician." Morgana popped out from the bag, finding that old man interesting. "He seemed to want help..." The cat mused if Akira could learn some speech-giving skills from the politician to use on Shadows. "Why not try getting to know him better?" Akira mused, maybe Morgana had a point, the man did sound quite passionate about his speech.


	24. Chapter 24

Badou was gnawing on the lollipop stick, feeling annoyance permeate his bones. Garyū was yet to give him a satisfactory answer as to why Kitagawa had to be watched. But there was an increasing amount of dirt on Madarame being steadily dug up by the prosecutor. _"Just what I needed, a man who steals the art of others to display as his own... Wait, does that have something to do with those oddities?"_ Garyū had obtained several testimonies from former pupils who had claimed that Madarame had stolen their artwork and clipped their wings so to keep his copying hidden. _"The kid was muttering something about the Sayuri painting..."_ But wasn't it stolen?

Badou froze at a wild idea that popped in his head. _"No way, don't tell me that you believe that it was a set-up?!"_ The detective scratched his beard and frowned, it would be quite the big mess if this guess were to be on the mark. _"The estimated price isn't something to scoff at..."_ Badou had seen the prices that stolen artwork could fetch in the underground market and backdoor deals, who could say that Madarame himself wasn't making a profit in this fashion? And it was touted master painter Madarame's works that were being discussed here, some audits had pinned his pieces at values upwards of millions of yen. _"Fucking hell, Garyū Kyouya, how do you even plan to make him pay his dues?"_

The veteran ruffled his hair, groaning at the turn of events and asking himself if they could trap the painter somehow. "Haah... Maybe Mikumo was right, I should retire soon, I'm getting too old for this shit..." He saw the boy exit the shack, carrying a bag and dressed for school. _"Hm? Now that I'm getting a good look..."_ The young man was quite tall for his age bracket, but what got Badou worried was how thin he seemed to be. _"The kid's a goddamn beansprout! Does he even eat properly?"_ The man grumbled, his parental instincts had gotten a firm hold of his heartstrings. _"Alright, Garyū, I'll make sure the kid stays fine until you spit out what got you hooked."_ Then his eyes got steely at a passing thought. If the damn painter had done something to mess up the kid's life... The lollipop stick snapped in two.

**~I think to myself~**

The band of thieves was lounging on the school's rooftop, discussing over the means of finding the next Palace to target. Ryuji was leaning back on his chair, complaining over the futile troubles being posted in Mishima's site. "There ain't even a hint of a hint about a new Palace..." But it wasn't as if they could simply go and ask people to post full names and locations. "Guess we just gotta find one ourselves then!" Morgana twitched his whiskers at what Ryuji implied with his words. "Do you plan on finding a target that even the police has overlooked?" The blond groaned, if the pros were unable to sniff out someone, what hope did mere teenagers have? "We should prolly just hold off 'til exams are over..." The teens noticed the cat act strange. "I heard something..." Morgana hissed for the humans to act natural, someone was coming, hiding behind the overturned desks piled by.

"Ain't that Niijima...?" The trio saw a girl with a serious face walk towards them. "This place is off-limits for students." Ryuji made a grimace and slumped over the desk he was using. "We'll get out when we're done chattin'." None of the thieves were willing to act cordial after hearing her high-and-mighty tone. "And what does little miss perfect StuCo Prez want with us?" The girl faced the trio. "A troublemaker, an outcast girl, and the infamous transferee... Interesting combination." Ryuji growled at that and Ann let out a mocking laugh. "Talking of a great way to start a conversation." Niijima disregarded the mounting hostility. "There are rumors that say that you all got to interact with Mister Kamoshida..." Akira was uncaring, crossing his arms and sporting a taunting smirk. "Who is that?" The girl got irritated. "Are you playing dumb with me?" Akira just shrugged. "That shows how little he knew about that guy."

But the girl didn't seem to get the hint to let the issue go. "I heard that Mr. Kamoshida used a volleyball club member to leak your criminal records." Akira faced Niijima with a neutral expression. "Spit it out, what are you trying to get at?" The girl frowned at his words. "Don't you hate him? Mr. Kamoshida, I mean." Ryuji was getting aggravated with her badgering. "Come on, StuCo Prez, what's all this about?" He got up and patted Akira on the back. "See this guy here? He's an upstanding guy. Are you accusing him?!" Niijima didn't seem to be rattled by the outburst. "I didn't mean to offend. It's just that Mr. Kamoshida's situation has caused no small amount of turmoil. Not to mention those cards that were posted a while ago." None of the group reacted at the obvious bait. "I didn't expect that you would care about that tacky stuff." Ann checked her nails with disinterest as Ryuji deflated at the comment. "Geez, we would be gone already if you hadn't held us up, StuCo Prez."

Niijima got angry at their uncaring behavior. "Try to understand my position, I'm being forced to deal with such horseplay-" "Oh, horseplay?!" Ann snapped at the rude remark, but Niijima disregarded it. "By the way, this place will be closed off permanently. There are people coming here without permission, after all." Niijima turned around to leave. "I'm sorry to have interrupted you." The blondes were still irritated at Niijima's attitude. "What was that about?" Morgana left his hideout. "She must suspect us. She looks sharp-witted, so exert caution around her." Ryuji kicked a desk to discharge his frustration. "She pisses me off!" Akira chided him, they would need to heed Morgana's words. "Such a friggin' pain in the ass..." The cat reminded the teens to study hard, for their cognitive capacities could influence their abilities in the Metaverse. "And remember, I do have an interesting location to show you. You did promise to aid me in my endeavor." Ryuji got confused at that. "What do you mean?" Morgana simply smiled, not answering the question. "Follow me."

**~I didn't mean to boast~**

Niijima Sae was watching as one of her colleagues, Karuma Mei, tended to her trusty whip. _"Why does she get away with carrying a weapon?"_ She thought about the poor boy, Akechi, one of the latest victims. The young man had gotten welts that took days to fade, and apparently, he was still suffering from occasional stings of pain. "Hm? Do you have something to tell me?" Steely blue eyes landed on Niijima, making her react with a start. "No, I was just passing by." Karuma scoffed, coiling her whip around her hand. "Let me give a word of warning." Niijima got guarded, she was dealing with a ruthless woman who spared nobody from her wrath. "You are a prosecutor. We are to follow the law, and our loyalty is towards the courts and this office."

Karuma got up and stepped closer to Niijima, the tension was like having an eagle watch a sparrow. "In other words, my foolish dim-witted colleague..." Niijima began sweating at the tiny yet feral smirk. "You are a subordinate of my dear little brother. You should reevaluate your loyalties and decide on whether you wish to side with the SIU, or if you will be faithful to the Prosecutor's Office." Karuma tapped Niijima's shoulder with her whip's coiled body, a hint of a threat under the polite facade. "There were already several dismissals of corrupt prosecutors, it would be a shame if we had to let go of one more, right?" Niijima gulped at the insinuation, but before she could formulate a reply, Karuma had already walked away. "Do keep in mind that I'm not as kind as Mitsurugi."

****~It's not the way I make it~** **

After being dismissed by Yuugami, who thanked her for the compiled data from the interviews, Naoto saw herself delegated to make rounds around the city, apparently, there was a gang targeting high-schoolers. _"Isn't that the group Mikumo is tasked with investigating? I hope the incident gets solved soon."_ Then the detective wondered about what had Badou so annoyed, he didn't stop grumbling about uncooperative prosecutors. _"I'm glad that Yuugami actually bothers to explain his motives."_ The woman stopped by a park, having heard something strange. "Hey~! Look here!" Naoto was surprised to see Rise on her patrol, the idol rushed past the crowd and stood by her. "Heya, Naoto! Time to see the guy you told me about!"

Naoto sighed at her friend. "You could have sent me a message." She checked the clock. "Well, my time is almost up, let's go then." The duo walked towards the train station, chatting over amenities. "Oh, is that a cat?" Rise looked at a trio of students and pointed them out for her friend, who stopped dead on her tracks and pinched her forehead with a groan of disbelief. "... In public...? I'll have to talk with them..." The idol digested the words. "Wait, Naoto. Are they the ones?" The detective only nodded, making an exasperated face at their lack of subtlety. "Oi, they seem to be doing something..." The blond boy was tapping at his phone as his friends talked about something, then the spectacled boy nodded at something the blonde girl said.

"Let's check it out." Rise and Naoto casually walked closer, not wishing to alert the group as they avoided blocking the flow of commuting people. "We got a hit?!" The pair held back their surprise at how the scenario seemed to shimmer, blurring together like disturbed paint. They then noticed that the crowd had faded away, leaving them in a deserted station, so before the teens could notice them, the duo took cover behind a wall. "Wow, this felt like diving in a TV, yet so different..." Rise was gripping her hand and looking around, this place felt odd and unreal. "... This is a type of Palace, but differs from regular ones..." The women paid attention to what the cat was saying. "... The Shadows here lurk underground..." "Wait up, cat!" The teens went downstairs at the feline's lead, letting Naoto and Rise leave their hideout. "Okay... this was surreal, what's the plan now?" The detective checked her phone, seeing a new app on the screen. "Rise, check yours, does it have a 'Meta-nav'?" She confirmed it. "So, this is the key to this place. Quite convenient, no?"

Rise had a conflicted face, holding trepidation over something she hoped wouldn't come to be. "But... how do we unlock our Personas?" Both prayed to any deity out there that they wouldn't be forced to face their Shadows, once was one too many, thank you very much. Naoto mused over their alternatives, they could follow the teens or leave the Metaverse. "Well, Morgana said that those things are drawn to the underground, so that's one option." Naoto wondered how those teens would react when they saw them, not noticing her friend take a sprinting stance. "Last one there has to kiss Teddie!" Rise bolted to the stairs, forcing her friend to pick the lag. "Wait up!"

Mona's ear twitched and he turned around to face the stairway, he heard something that shouldn't be possible. "Yo, what's the matter?" The thieves got curious at the cat's behavior. "Hey, I hear steps...?" Skull tilted his head quizzically. "That was cheating!" "Too bad, I'm gonna win!" Panther was shocked at the incoming speakers. "Someone else is here?!" Joker wondered how to face this situation, one of the voices was familiar. "This is unfair!" "Only losers complain! You better be ready to smooch Teddie good!" Two people landed by the thieves, panting from the impromptu race and leaning on the railings. "You... little... imbecile..." "Haha... that's nostalgic... urk, I gotta up my exercise regimen..."


	25. Chapter 25

Skull and Panther looked at the pair from a distance, their stares were heavy with suspicion, unable to figure their identities. "Dude, who are they?" The girl felt that their voices were familiar, but couldn't pinpoint from where. "No need to worry, we can trust them." Mona jumped on Naoto's arms, nuzzling her. "Mroow! It's a blessing to have more comrades!" Joker approached the women, holding a friendly smile. "So, she was the friend you mentioned?" Naoto nodded and stood straighter, having recovered somewhat from the race. Rise schooled her shaky legs, she had risked her ankles on those stairs. "Risette here... oof..." Mona got curious at the way Joker's jaw dropped and the guy gawked at the idol. "You aren't pulling my leg, right?" Naoto shook her head. "It's the truth." The cat found himself snatched off from Naoto's hold, held in an enthusiastic embrace as he got subjected to vigorous petting. "What a cutie! So you're Morgana? Nice to meet you!" Rise held the cat against her chest and messed with his ears, enjoying the feel of the fluffy fur. "Nya~ This feels good~"

Then Joker noticed one thing. "Mona, do you know why they already have Phantom Thief clothes and the Persona masks?" This prompted the pair to look down and Naoto touched the item glued to her face. "So you were serious... Thank heavens." The thieves got curious at the clear relief from the pair. " Rise twirled on her feet, marveling at how the magenta skirt fluttered as the cat reached for the black feathers on her coppery mask. Then she let Mona go to check her pale grey blouse and green ballroom gloves. "I look like those western folks." Naoto didn't find fault on her new looks, the dark silver suit was easy to move in. "But why a cane?" She scrutinized the simple baton and took off her top hat. "Hey, your hair is short again!" Joker and Mona watched as the pair examined everything that was changed on them. "So...?" The cat shrugged at the question, he was clueless. "I have no idea. Perhaps it's due to their past adventures? Maybe their Personas simply went to hibernate from disuse. Then they reawakened here."

The blondes saw how their leader and pseudo-teacher were acting normal around those strangers, so they decided to give it a chance. "Yo pal, you know 'em?" Skull was still wary. "Yeah, they will be great allies, so be nice." Panther had her doubts, but they did need the manpower. "Alright then. What are their codenames?" Naoto and Rise snapped their heads to face them. "Codenames?" Mona gave them a brief run-down on the matter. "Hmm... That does have logic to it..." "Mu... What could be a good name...?" Rise fiddled with the red and gold veil covering her hair. Mona grinned as an idea popped in his mind. "You can be our Muse!" Rise sounded out the name in her head. "You're right, then I'll be Muse." Naoto was examining her own mask with her phone's screen. "It looks like an owl..." It covered three-fourths of her face, unlike the others, who only had their upper face hidden. "Do you need help?" Joker offered to think of a name for her. "No, I've decided. Call me Strix."

Once the codenames were decided and the mission was explained, Muse and Strix introduced themselves for the blondes. "We are members of a previous Persona group." This piqued their interest, but before they could ask, Mona called for everybody's attention. "This place, Mementos, is where all the Shadows unable to create their own Palaces gather, they share this vast underground and form a collective unconscious." Muse and Strix gazed at the sinister entrance. "It feels like Magatsu Inaba..." Mona explained the differences between Mementos and Palaces until the group noticed one issue. If the place was analogous to the subway system... "Are we gonna be able to get around just by walkin'...?" Mona shook his head, like an adult amused by a kid. "Morganaaa... transfoooooorm!" Strix secretly geeked out at how it sounded like those tokusatsu series. Then the cat became a van. "Ladies first."

The group was confused as to why Mona could do it. "This comes from the way cognition materializes in the Metaverse, plus training." Skull wasn't buying the half-assed answers from Mona. "For some reason, the concept of 'cats turning into buses' is extremely widespread." Strix shook her head as Muse smirked. "Bless you, Studio Gh*bli!" The teens stared at the adults, but the detective dismissed it, though. "It's an old movie, I'll show you later." After the teens got in the rear, Muse pleaded with Strix to be the driver, cheering when she gave up on protesting. "You'd better not smash up my dashing face, understood?" Muse looked at the dashboard and asked Mona for the ignition. "There's a switch just down next to the steering wheel." Motor purring, pedals and stick memorized, everybody settled down, it was all set to roll. "We're going full throttle! It's time to fly!" Strix sweated buckets at the manic grin her friend sported. "Heh, time for my Navigator skills!" Through instinct, she materialized the familiars of her Persona, that took the shapes of ghostly birds and flew into Mementos.

As the driver gripped the wheel confidently, Strix gulped the knot in her throat. "Kids, clench your teeth." The trio was confused at the advice and Mona got nervous. "Let's see... there are some Shadows... Hm... Wait, I think I found a place with distortions, that should be Nakanohara!" Mona was shocked out of his sprockets when Muse floored the gas, making the tires screech and the passengers get pressed to their seats. "Yahoo~" Strix had feared this. _"Just don't get us killed."_ Panther was holding on Joker for dear life, then she saw a speck approaching at an insane speed. "Watch the Shadow!" Muse didn't even flinch at the speed bump. "What Shadow? Teehee~" Skull was glued to the backrest. "Eyes on tha road!" Muse had turned her head to face the teens, putting the fear of God in them. "Oi, you missed that one!" Joker, the madman, was the only one enjoying the rollercoaster, pointing out a fleeing Shadow that was trying to save its ass. "A'ight! Drift!" Skull found himself plastered to the door and with two people crushing him as Muse did a sharp turn, making Mona scream with terror. "Meeooow‼ How can a lady be this ruthless?!" Strix just covered her eyes to not see the carnage. "Whoohoo! Strike!"

**~That's the way!~**

Badou was writing a report for his prosecutor when he saw his surrogate niece pass by him, face full of worry. "Hey, Mikumo, what's up?" She stopped pacing and stood in front of his desk, gripping a strand of hair. "Well, I've been calling Naoto, but it keeps bouncing..." The man sighed and rubbed his temple. "Are you sure it's not just nerves?" The woman began swaying on the spot with antsy energy. "You might be right... but I was told that she was sent to keep tabs on that gang's territory..." Badou mulled over the matter, wondering why the girl got so attached to the newcomer. _"Is it because she's one of the few younger than her?"_ He offered a lollipop to her, not knowing how to reassure the woman.

"Geh, this one is what? Tastes like some overly sweet syrup..." Badou grunted at her grimace. "That's the luck of the draw. I just bought what was on sale." He scratched his beard. "Maybe her phone is just at a place without a tower signal? Give it one day or so." Mikumo hung her head, still worried. _"I do wonder why she asked all that to that reporter..."_ At this pace she would just get herself sick, so she decided to give his advice a try. "By the way, what is Kyouya making you do about Madarame?" Badou ruffled his hair. "Well, the brat thinks there's something fishy about the painter... He even let slip something about how his art feels fake..." Mikumo frowned. "Wait... Don't tell me we got another Ese in the works..."

The veteran crunched the sweet in his mouth. "Well, I still don't have all the details. But his financial state is a bit strange for such a famous painter." The woman rubbed her forehead, this situation did seem to be problematic. "Tax evasion...?" Badou smirked, she was catching on. "Add stellionate and forgery as well." The rockstar prosecutor wasn't going to let Madarame's fame keep his old arse from landing in prison. "Hn, and the kid is worried about Madarame's current pupil..." Mikumo then thought of what she knew about the painter. "... Now that you mentioned it, I don't think I've ever heard of any past pupils of his getting a break into the art scenario... They all ended up vanishing..." Badou stayed silent as her eyes widened. "Could it be...? Stealing the works of his pupils...?"

**~It won't be like before...~**

A van landed heavily on the tracks after going through a portal, there were some splotches of suspicious black matter on its chassis and it was trembling worse than a newborn fawn. "Let me get down...!" Panther pushed aside the boys and fell in an orz pose, letting out rainbow sparkles, maybe it was a mistake to have cake and milk before diving in Mementos. Once everybody got off, Mona reverted to his mascot self, curled on the ground and sucking his paw, the screams of the Shadows were branded in his mind. "Oof... that was some scary shit..." Skull was hunched over and holding his knees, attempting to calm his stomach. "At least we're mostly unscathed..." Strix was supporting herself on her cane, pacing her breathing. "That was great!" Joker and Muse were virtually glowing, eyes bright with joy, as if that eldritch ride was just a walk in the park. "Let's do that aga-" Strix grabbed their shoulders and leveled a terrifying glare as her grip became tighter. "I'll drive. No arguments. Understood?" The pair of speed demons gulped dryly, the petite detective was intimidating.

Nakanohara's Shadow watched the circus, undecided on whether he should flee with his tail between his legs, or if he should defend his territory. Once the thieves were mostly recovered from the ride, they faced the Shadow. "So that's our stalker!" Strix wondered if he was among the complaints assigned to her. "All right, let's go talk to him." Nakanohara grumbled about his ex-girlfriend as the thieves inquired about his motives to harass the woman. "It's not like she didn't treat me like a plaything! What's wrong with me doing the same?!" The teens got irritated at the man's stubbornness. "What about Madarame...?" Strix and Muse reacted with a start, one recalled her colleague and the other thought back to some strange rumors. "He stole everything from me, but you're letting him off the hook!?" Nakanohara dropped the human visage, ready to fight the thieves. Muse was the first to react, ripping off her mask. "Reveal his secrets, Le Fay!" A woman with a royal purple dress and a poisonous green cowl opened the intricately decorated book, granting Muse with knowledge about the creature. "Heh, it seems that it's your time to shine, Skull!"

The idol instructed her group to avoid getting physical and batter the Obariyon with their Personas. Joker used Mokoi's Skull Cracker to make it disoriented as Panther and Mona used their specialties to keep the Shadow in the defensive. "Burn him first! Then use Garu!" Skull sent one Zio when the Shadow was close enough, but it managed to endure. "Gigigiiih-! Curse you, thieves!" Strix blocked its claws with her cane when it attempted to lunge at her, then she reached up to her mask. "Time to close this up. Come, Irene." A lass with a deep blue suit and face hidden in shadows unsheathed the rapier, its blade glinted ominously before Tempest Slash struck down the Obariyon, forcing it to revert to its more human facade. "I-I was wrong... Please forgive me..." Nakanohara explained the circumstances that led to his obsession with his victim. "So Madarame did do something shady..." Strix wondered if Badou would heed her words if she attempted to steer him in the right path. "I'll put an end to my love for her..." Nakanohara had downcast eyes. "Won't you change Madarame's heart!?" He pleaded at Joker. "Please, before he makes more victims..." With these parting words, the Shadow faded away and left its seed of a Treasure.

Mona eyed the glowing orb with seriousness. "If we had left him be, this bud might have blossomed into a Palace." Joker took the symbol of Nakanohara's attachment and stashed it away. "So that's how you change hearts..." Muse was intrigued by this mechanic, then she wondered how they would know of the results. "If he does change, she'll prolly comment again." This success pumped up the teens, they now intended to use Mementos to train their Personas. _"But, Madarame..."_ Strix was now trying to think of a way to covertly help that veteran. "Hold on, I still have something to show you before we leave." The humans got curious at Mona's tone. "But Strix will drive!" Following Mona's lead, the group came to face a strange corridor with a bizarre wall. "It's a dead end." But the cat wasn't disheartened, sure that there was a secret. "If my hunch is correct..." He touched the stone and it reacted, opening to reveal a stairway as the Meta-nav announced an update. "Just as I thought. When I came here before, there was no reaction." There was no way that the collective unconscious would have only one floor. "Now that the public knows of the Phantom Thieves, our existence is being ingrained in their shared perceptions."

It was now time to exit Mementos, so the group was now standing on the very first floor. "So going over the entry point is one of the exit methods..." Strix sighed, she and Muse were on a different spot when they entered the Metaverse. "Hey, aren't ya gonna tell us your real names?" Skull was still attempting to figure their real selves but came up empty. _"Now that I'm thinking about it... are they...?"_ Panther kept her mouth shut, Skull would end up blabbing if he knew, and she still didn't know the reason those two seemed to want secrecy. "Mew, I will now explain my theory about that gate." The group circled Mona and paid attention. "As I said, this place is the public unconscious given form. So, I believe that our range of movement within is affected by the extent of the public's belief on us." Panther was curious as to why he knew so much despite his amnesia. "I don't know the answer, my mind is still foggy over some matters. That's why I wish to discover the secrets of Mementos, no matter what." Then he stood straighter, eyes glinting with inner steel. "And Mementos is also the source of Palaces, being the greatest source of distortions, so if we eliminate its focus, then I..."

Mona fell silent, but the thieves swore to aid him. "I hope you can regain what you've lost." Mona lowered his head, feeling hopeful at the support. "I'll... be relying on you guys." But then Panther just had to ask Mona's gender, sending Muse in a fit of giggles, which made the teens get curious. "Hahaha! Oh my gosh! Hahaha!" Strix covered her eyes and averted her face, increasing their interest. "I think we got a juicy story here..." Joker approached Muse and asked for an explanation. "Don't you dare-" Skull grabbed Strix and lifted her as a kid does with a cat. "Naw, tell us!" Muse controlled her giggles and held her stomach. "Back when we were about your age, Strix was considered a good catch." Panther didn't get the issue. "The thing is, she had everybody fooled, we all thought she was a dude." Joker and Skull were shaking with repressed laughter. "She even made one of our friends think that he was gay!" Strix struggled in Skull's hold until she landed a heel on his crotch, landing as he clutched his jewels. "That better be the only thing you tell them." Muse had a catty smirk. "Oh...? Are you afraid I'll tell them about your Shadow?" Muse taunted her friend. "Tell them, and I'll describe yours too!" She recoiled at Strix's words. "Oi! You weren't there!" The detective shook her head. "Yosuke and Teddie told me." The idol got a bloodthirsty aura. "Ahn? Then they're dead meat!" It was interesting to see a pair of adults bicker like kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How I picture Naoto in the Metaverse.


	26. Chapter 26

Morgana watched the teen as he stretched and groaned to wake up. "Rise and shine, a new day is here." Akira rubbed his neck as he got up from the bed, that wild ride did put some strain on his body, no matter how fun it was, and it was compounded by the strange fatigue the Metaverse caused. "Ngrh... What should we do today...?" The teen rubbed the sand off his eyes, pawing after his phone to check for messages, feeling it buzz with an incoming text. "Hm? It's from Mishima." The guy was insisting that the website was being helpful to Akira, despite his attempts to deflect those claims, it seemed that Mishima could be quite adamant if he wanted to be. [I'll be waiting at the diner in Shibuya. You gotta swing by!] Akira grimaced, he had to find a way to make the guy drop the subject.

"What is he up to...?" Even Morgana became dubious about Mishima's behavior, so he advised Akira to go and discover what the boy wanted from him. "What about you?" Akira did notice that the cat was acting strange as well. "I still have some business in Mementos, there's something I want to check out." Akira scratched Morgana's ear. "Just don't get eaten by a Shadow." Talking of Shadows, he wondered what those two had meant with that pissing contest, it did plant the seed of curiosity. _"Well, it seems that my best bet to learn about it is to find those two, Yosuke and Teddie..."_ The cat huffed. "Don't underestimate me. And I do hope you get something from this encounter." With this, Akira got ready to go out as Morgana went off into the Metaverse.

The cozy diner and pleasant scent of food were a stark contrast to Mishima's state, the guy had some dark bags under his eyes and was acting sluggish. "How have things been? You know, with the... special activities?" The poor sleepless teen let out a huge yawn and rubbed his face to wake himself. "Sorry, didn't get to sleep much lately..." It seemed that Mishima was staying up until late night to manage his site. "I think it's called... PR?" Akira deadpanned, why was the guy so dedicated? "... Phan-Site?" Mishima explained how he wanted to aid the Phantom Thieves, giving a platform for the people they helped while blocking the 'haters', making Akira see that there was no point in discouraging him. "You've done well." Mishima smiled brightly, even his bags seemed to get lighter.

"I... I wish I could be more like you guys..." Mishima got gloomy but snapped back and assured that he'd deal with the public. "I'm gonna use my Phan-Site to promote the Phantom Thieves and weed out any negative comments." Well, there should be no harm in letting the kid do what he wanted. "Your popularity is gonna be at my mercy... uh, my fingertips." Mishima got pumped up for the duty he took for himself, ignoring Akira's uncertainty due to these words. "You're really hyped for this." The boy grinned. "I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure that my site isn't just for show." Mishima began nodding off, clearly, his lack of sleep was taking its toll, then he shook his head hard. "... I'll give it my all!" With this, the teens parted ways. _"I should go help in the cafe."  
_

**~Great job, guys~**

Morgana swallowed the lump in his throat once Akira was out, he was about to undertake a risky deal. _"It can't be helped... her skills are the best match for this mission..."_ The cat couldn't help but shudder at the impending terror, but it was a necessary evil. _"Alright... time to find her..."_ The animal exited Leblanc and traipsed towards one of the spots where Naoto usually passed by. - "Oh, Morgana. What's the matter?" The detective noticed those blue eyes peering at her from an alley. "Nya... I... erk... I need you to take me to Risette..." She wondered why he wanted to meet the idol, but he had clammed up. "Erm... Okay. By the way, her name is Rise." She let the cat hop on her arms and set off for the studio, maybe they could catch her during a break.

Naoto let off Morgana by the building. "She's inside. And she is usually by number 7 or 9. Just don't get caught." The feline steeled his nerves and entered the location, intent on finding the idol as the detective returned to her job. - "It seems that a stray cat entered the studio, some people are trying to find it..." Rise listened to the chatter of the personnel until she felt a tugging at her dress, so she looked down and spotted a black cat with a yellow collar under her chair. _"Is he trembling?"_ Morgana really didn't want to be subjected to Rise's mad drifting, but from what he had seen, she could pinpoint the Shadows in Mementos and traverse the dark tracks as if walking around in her room. "Hey... Can you help me...?" Her eyes sparkled with glee. "So that's how you look like!" She picked up the feline and messed with his cheeks. "Meow! I came with a serious request!" She pouted, but let him go. "Can it wait? I still have a few recording sessions." "Understood."

A cat was pacing around on the tracks, scrutinizing the place as the idol leaned on the wall and waited for him to finish. "Hm... so that's how it is..." Muse was keeping tabs on their surroundings with her familiars as Mona examined Mementos, then one of the birds found something ominous. "Wait... This is... Shit!" The cat saw the idol bolt up from her spot and curse loudly before barreling in his direction. "Mew?" "Turn in a car NOW!" Mona didn't question her, it had to be a real emergency for her to be this desperate. "What happened?" As Muse swerved the van past some errant Shadows, he tried to get her motive. "Reaper! Hard to beat!" The van began hearing a constant and grating noise of chains scraping gravel. "Oh no..." Muse yanked the wheel to make a sharp turn, but Mona had a brief glimpse of the creature she wanted to avoid. "YEEK! IT'S HERE!" The van shuddered at the terrifying bloodthirst. "Stay strong! I'll floor it!" The Reaper had taken aim, but the bullets only struck the walls as Muse pushed the MonaCar to his limit. "Nyaa! We definitively have to avoid it!"

A woman was taking one of the rare wagons open for animals in the metro, thanking the heavens that it was empty as her hands shook from her heightened emotions. Rise was still under the effects of the huge dump of adrenaline caused by the Reaper as Morgana trembled on her lap. "Mweew... that was horrible..." The cat felt both sick to his bones and scared out of his wits, the idol was even more reckless with her driving during the escape. "Why is it here too? Is it some paranormal guard dog?" Rise dreaded having to face it, having a slight trauma due to Yu's insistence on chasing the damn creature to get its unique loot. _"It was a nightmare..."_ Woman and cat decided to use the trip to calm down their rattled nerves, taking in deep breathes. "Meow... so staying too long in one floor attracts it..."

**~I sense Death!~**

Akira passed the days by going to school, studying for the exams, interacting with the people he made bonds with, and taking part-time jobs to get mission funds, although he did have a brief scuffle with Ryuji to convince him to get some work, as even Ann was contributing with some of her model pay, thankfully, it only took a few seconds in a Boston Crab hold to make his blond teammate fold. "I got it! I got it! I'll work too!" The thieves were still keeping an eye out for a new major target, but Nakanohara had given them food for thought. _"Madarame... I should ask Naoto about her reaction."_ The detective seemed to hold suspicions against the painter. _"Yeah, there's something up with him, but does he even have a Palace?"_

What a hassle... To add to his pile of things to worry about, Mishima gave him some names found on the Phan-Site and the complaints linked to them, and Ann started to behave oddly, feeling as if she was being watched. _"Tsk... we got Niijima too..."_ That stick in the mud would frown at him every time they crossed paths at school. As he wondered what he would do today, now that classes were over, his phone buzzed. "Hm... I got a message from the doc. Ugh-! A clinical test..." The teen gulped with nervousness, what would this time's vile cocktail cause? "Nya... good luck..." Morgana still remembered the sight of his partner gurgling on that gurney as the doctor jotted things on a clipboard. "... I hope I survive."

The teen stared at the cup with bright blue liquid. _"... this doesn't look fit for humans..."_ The doctor had a neutral expression, waiting for him to go ahead. "Drink it in one gulp." The sludge tasted like the unholy spawn of a cross between a pickled plum and ginger on steroids. "Bh... urk..." It was getting increasingly hard to breathe and his vision was getting dark spots, that only grew until he fainted. As he back to his senses, the doctor commented on the medicine and the tests she would run, but a cop entered the room before she could say more. "I'm in the middle of an examination." The man seemed to be intent on checking the rumors about her and demanded her to present some documents. "This kid here is my only patient today." The cop began getting confused, apparently, he expected her to be unhelpful. "It's nothing but an attempt to harass me."

"... Hey, you! What're you doing here!?" He tried to use Akira to get some excuse for his presence, presuming the boy was healthy. "I have a bad heart." The teen took advantage that he was still woozy to fake his condition. Takemi followed with his lie, making the cop feel bad. "So, is there anything else? As you can see, I'm pretty busy here." The man huffed with frustration. "You're infuriating... I'd expect nothing less from the 'Plague'." He stomped his way out and the doctor grumbled over the mess. "It's nothing to worry about. I'm sure it was my former superior who made that false report." Akira deadpanned, was he some kind of magnet for troubled people...? But the doctor waved it off and resumed the battery of tests to check the drug's effects on his body.

**~The battle's over~**

Naoto had spent a portion of those last few days by thinking of a way to approach the veteran, but it only led to awkward scenarios in her mind. "Rookie." She reacted with a start, Badou landed a hand on her shoulder. "I got some things to talk to you... You got time to spare?" It wasn't how she wanted it to start, but she'd take it. "Okay, I'm done with work for today." He grunted and began walking, making her fall into his pace. "Mikumo is quite attached to you..." Naoto wondered what the man wanted to discuss. "Sir?" He picked a lollipop to eat, offering one to her. "Uh, thanks..." This was a little strange, she had no idea of where this chat would lead to. _"Orange..."_

Once they were at a park, Badou sat on a bench and hunched over. "Sit." Naoto was getting nervous, why did he call her out? "Look, haah... How do I put this?" The man scratched his beard. "That case you were looking into... the Kurusu boy... how's it going?" There was nothing she could tell him that he didn't know already. "Dead end, uh... And how's the city treating you?" This felt like being interrogated by her grandfather over her latest cases. "I'm fine. But did you call me just to ask this?" Badou was silent for a few seconds longer. "... Look, I don't know about your life... But... huu... Mikumo worries about you, so try not to bite more than you can chew, alright?"

Naoto thanked him for these words. "And you? Did you advance with that painter?" Badou huffed angrily. "There's close to nothing on him... And there's too little info on his pupils..." The man raised a brow. "Why, do you have some info?" She gave him Nakanohara's name. "Oh... Well, if you find out more, do tell me." The man didn't resist the urge to pat her head and mess with her hair as he did with Mikumo sometimes. "Hey!" He chuckled at her annoyance. "You're a great addition to the team, keep at it." With this, he said his goodbyes and walked off. "Honestly..." Naoto let herself smile, Mikumo had a good role model. _"The same goes for you, Badou."_


	27. Chapter 27

As the thieves took their school exams, studying as most they could, Naoto had worked for the final touches on Kamoshida's trial with Yuugami. "Shirogane, the trial will be in June. Be prepared." She slumped her shoulders, this case would have its end soon... "Understood. What should I do until then?" The man rubbed his chin. "Brush up on your testimony, that rat can't escape." She nodded, he probably felt that the evidence gathered would make for a strong foundation. "And does he have an attorney?" Yuugami smirked. "That principal managed to shoehorn one. A brat from the Hoshikage firm... But I won't let him avoid his fate." She felt a bit intimidated by his ferocious look. "May I be excused?" He waved his hand, focused on the papers. "Just go already."

In the meanwhile, Akira and Ryuji were staring at a strange guy who had been stalking Ann, confused at his strange proposal for the girl. "My name is Kitagawa Yusuke, I'm a pupil of Madarame and an aspiring artist." The thieves got alerted, it was the name said by that Shadow... Before they could ask more, the boy got called by an old man in a limo. "So that's where your passion led you to." Kitagawa then asked the trio to attend Madarame's exposition, handing over tickets and said that he would wait for Ann's reply. It was a weird encounter and quite the big coincidence, but the thieves had decided to check out the art exposition, perhaps the great painter would be their next target.

Akira scratched his head, things were going by fast again. Would the thieves have another great heist? "Well, even if nothing comes from it, a phantom thief should be a connoisseur of fine arts." Morgana was anticipating the trip to the gallery. "Alright... We'll go tomorrow." With this, the band parted ways, with Akira going back to Leblanc. "Mew, Naoto's here today." The cat jumped off the bag and sat by the detective. "Oh, do you want to talk?" The teen took a seat in front of her in the booth. Naoto faced Akira as he rubbed his face, groaning with tiredness. "Were those exams that hard?" He glanced up with a grimace. "I had to pull some late nights... and help those two..." She sighed, knowing the feeling due to Kanji and Rise. "Well, at least it's over, for now."

"Erm... I wanted to ask you about what that Shadow said." She became serious and sat straighter. "About Madarame?" He nodded. "Is there an investigation on someone with that name?" She peeked at Sojiro, who was distracted with a magazine. "Yes, on the painter in the news, Madarame Ichiryūsai, but they have few concrete leads. Do you think he has a Palace?" Morgana scratched his ear. "That's why we'll check his event tomorrow. The name's the same, and Nakanohara seemed to be talking about art." The detective wondered if it was right to let the teens snoop around, but then she realized they wouldn't back off, much like her own circle of friends. "Very well. I wish you luck, and don't cause a ruckus."

**~This time I truly mean it~**

A pair of men were standing in the art gallery, with the grizzled one sporting a look of interest at the varied art styles, and the younger male held a critical eye for the works as if trying to find something. _"Are those high-schoolers?"_ They spotted a trio of teens entering the hall, with the girl getting guided further in by Madarame's pupil as the pair of boys looked at the paintings. _"They're the ones from back then..."_ Garyū frowned, Shido was a distasteful man. Badou got pensive, hadn't he met the blond pipsqueak somewhere? "Haah... What was the point of coming here?" The detective felt that this place was a bit stifling, but the prosecutor had dragged him along. "I already saw what I wanted, we can go now."

The pair heard some fans and reporters gush over Madarame's presence and decided to avoid the mounting stampede caused by the excited mass. "I want answers." The detective frowned at the prosecutor, who simply sighed. "You deserve to know. Let's go to my office." - Garyū faced Badou, wondering how to start. "Spill, what does the brat have?" The prosecutor rubbed his rings. "You could say that he reminds me of someone. A past pupil of Madarame's, to be exact." The detective was waiting for more details. "They look so alike, I'm sure he's her son. And I'm an artist... I can't bear the thought that someone is abusing my peers..."

Badou made a disgruntled face. "The kid looks a bit thin, I don't think he eats right. Yet Madarame's always dressed in nice clothes... What's going on here?" Garyū sighed. "That man hides his financial state. Several of his mistresses get to display a spender's lifestyle, as long his name stays hidden." But where did the money come from? "Did you get something from the moles in the black market?" Badou wanted more intel on the situation. "No. But I received a tip about an interesting rumor." The detective huffed. "The 'Sayuri', right? Do you think there's something fishy?"

The prosecutor nodded. "Apparently there are several people who claim that Madarame approached them and offered to sell that exact painting. Perhaps that's the source of his income." Badou groaned and ruffled his hair. "I feared that. Tch... but I also got a small lead, a former pupil of that guy, he'll tell me about his time until last year and about Kitagawa." He stated that Nakanohara had accepted to give some accounts of his life under Madarame, as long his name stayed off the records, fearing retaliation. "That's a surprise, but a welcome one. I hope that we get something solid from this." But the men wondered how was Kitagawa's life, how long did they have until Madarame decided to discard him as well?

**~They're simple to make~**

The thieves had attempted to have Kitagawa confess that Madarame was a plagiarist or an abuser, but the youth had reacted harshly at the accusations, making the thieves start doubting if Madarame was truly guilty. The group stared at the shack from a distance until Morgana heard a chime from Akira's phone. "Check the Meta-nav." From how the teens reacted, the cat knew that the strange app had gotten something. "This display... it means that Madarame has a Palace too, right!?" Madarame, plagiarism, shack, those were the words currently in the search bar, they lacked one more. "All that's left is the 'what' that he envisions this place as." Akira hummed, wondering what he should input. "A place with art... A museum?"

The app got activated, startling the group and Mona scolded them for the lack of warning. "So even you can slip into the Metaverse without realizing it?" The cat explained that depending on the place, the Metaverse would be virtually the same as reality. Then the group faced the huge golden building where the shack used to be. The museum was extravagant to the point of excess, making the thieves wonder what it had on display. "And ain't museums a must for phantom thieves?" Skull grinned with excitement. "Just remember that there might be traps." Joker found a spot where they could scale the wall, taking the chance that security was focused at the crowd at the entrance.

After infiltrating the building, the thieves discovered that its gallery was comprised of strange paintings, they were depicting people who moved slowly in a small range inside the canvas as if lost and blind. Skull went to check one placard. "... It's someone's name and age? What the hell?" As they explored the place, they only found more of the same, names and ages of unknown people, until they found Kitagawa's portrait. "So these paintings are all of Madarame's pupils..." Joker grimaced, what did this mean? What did Madarame picture them as? "Let's see if we can find more." The blondes nodded at their leader.

It was strange to walk through the empty halls, as the guards were all diverted to the flock of visitors at the front gates. "Wait, what's that statue?" The group went to read the plaque, it described the 'Infinite Spring' as Madarame's work and preached that the people portrayed in the museum were to surrender their art to the man. "Those who cannot do so have no worth living..." Panther was aghast, that kind elder hid such thoughts in his heart... "In other words, his pupils are his property." So this was how the geezer imagined his plagiarism. "He's treating them like slaves or tools!" This was a lot to swallow in one take, and there was Kitagawa to deal with as well.

**~I don't mean...~**

Naoto was on her way to her place, having just exited Leblanc when she heard hurried steps behind her. "Akira?" He panted from exertion and was hunched over. "Can we talk?" He relayed what his group discovered about Madarame, making her frown. "As expected... I'll try to guide the detective dealing with it in the right direction." The teen wondered who was the person, maybe he could pass on the info as an anonymous informant. "Hey, can you tell me who is?" She noticed his intention. "Badou Ittetsu, he was with me that day, for the search and seize." Akira thought back on those events, it should be that man. "You mean that huge dude?" She only nodded. "... Yes." Then he recalled one more thing about the Palace.

"Ah, by the way, that Palace got paintings with names and ages... We think they are of past pupils..." Naoto's eyes widened slightly before she schooled her features. "Then it's not something to overlook, I'll go as well. Obtaining those names can be a big help for the investigation." He wiped the sweat and thanked her for giving them a hand. "Ann is going to model for Kitagawa tomorrow, maybe we can find out more..." She noticed his hesitation. "But...?" He paused, why did he feel weird about the mission? "Well... you see... Maybe he isn't committing crimes anymore..." He scratched his neck and averted his eyes, he didn't know how to explain the situation.

Naoto mulled over his words. "So you are unsure if his heart should be changed..." Akira met her eyes, it was a bullseye, so she sighed with resignation. "I won't decide for you. If you want, leave this for the police." Badou was already investigating, and from what she had heard, Garyū was excellent in his field. "Give us some time... we don't even know the whole story... And Kitagawa says there's no abuse..." The detective kicked a stray pebble. "Just so you know..." He wondered what she had to say. "This is a hard truth, but keep this in mind." Naoto had a sad gaze. "When it comes to abuse, the victims themselves are usually the last ones to admit that it exists. And not every abuse is physical like Kamoshida's." She turned around to leave. "I hope you reach a decision soon. Goodbye."

**~I don't mean to bother you~**

Akira was still thinking about what Naoto said as he and his friends were in Madarame's shack, watching Kitagawa prepare his supplies to paint Ann's portrait. "Well then, let's get started." The artist was a strange person, it was if his very brain was wired differently from most people. "Um... Kitagawa?" Ann attempted to make small talk, but the guy was focused on his endeavor. "Nya, perhaps I should go and scout the place." Morgana got ready to exit the bag, so Akira whispered for him to be careful and not get caught. "Who do you think I am?"

The cat navigated the corridors, grimacing at the smell of mold and paint assaulting his nostrils. _"It stings..."_ He sneezed at some dust and swiped at his snout. _"Where should I look?"_ He checked every door for anything that looked amiss. "Hm?" A flash of color caught his eye. "What a gaudy door..." It had a peacock painted on it and a huge padlock. "What could be in there?" Morgana tilted his head and hopped on furniture to get a better look before returning to his team.

Kitagawa called off for the day, it seemed that he had trouble in focusing his mind in the canvas. The trio took the chance to try and get him to talk about the rumors of plagiarism and abuse, but Kitagawa was unwavering in his support of Madarame and stated that he had offered his artwork to his teacher. "He is simply suffering from artist's block right now." Akira caught the brief flash of frustration in his eyes, which made him doubt those words. _"Was it really voluntary?"_ But the conversation was going as well as pulling teeth with a crowbar. "I'm supporting Madarame as his pupil. Where's the wrong in that?" Kitagawa then kicked the group off the shack.

Ann put up a hissy fit once they were out. "I'm gonna have to pose nude if this keeps up!" Yeah, that was quite the predicament they got in. _"... Did Naoto and her group face something like this?"_ \- An idol sneezed in the middle of her recording. _"Why did I think of that day?!"_ \- And the girl got even more hesitant in acting against Madarame, as Kitagawa said he owed his life to him. "You're tellin' me we should just ignore it?" Ryuji got irritated, wanting to go ahead with the operation. It was a frustrating situation, they were unable to reach a consensus.

"Let's help Yusuke come to his senses too... before he ends up like us." Ann lowered her eyes and nodded, seeing Ryuji's point. Akira rubbed a creeping migraine, they had to check how guilty Madarame was, find out if he had more dirt hidden, explore his Palace- "There's the thing about me modeling too!" What did Yusuke mean with inconveniences? Was that the abuse from the rumors? "Maybe that's going to be announced soon as Madarame's next work..." Akira felt slightly impish. "Are you not confident?" This earned him an outburst from Ann.

"Hey, can I talk to you kids for a sec?" A woman with a camera on her neck approached them. "You don't seem like ordinary fans." She saw that the trio was getting uncomfortable. "I'm actually looking for people who know Madarame's pupils." The woman began talking about some painting and asked if they knew something about it, only to get a negative. "There's no case unless there's a victim and if there's no proof of abuse... I can't write either." She got dejected at the lack of results. "Sorry for taking your time." She handed a card to Akira before walking off. The thieves decided to cut their losses and head home to rest.


	28. Chapter 28

The day was going by slower than usual, so the detectives were using the idle time to knock off the files that had to be updated. Naoto had asked Badou about his progress with his case when he took a small break. "Hn, that name was a huge help... But the witness had distressing information..." The woman wondered what it was about. "Well, you did give me the hint, so I'll tell you some of it." Badou grew serious, Nakanohara's words gave Garyū a basis for his suspicions, Madarame had made it so his pupils had no escape, working as his artwork sources endlessly until they burned out, stomping those who tried to break into the art scene. "It seems that at least one of Madarame's pupils committed suicide due to his theft, and Kitagawa is suffering under his 'care', that guy said that the kid might commit suicide..." This was serious news, those teens needed to know this. "I'll inform you if I find more leads." The man thanked her again. "I'll be waiting." Badou watched as the woman left the precinct, sighing tiredly and rubbing his neck before resuming his work.

As she rushed towards her destination, Naoto had dialed Akira, asking him to meet her close to the painter's house. It didn't take long for him to arrive with the cat on tow. "Did you find anything?" "Yes... But you won't like it..." Akira and Morgana felt anger at Madarame when they heard from Naoto. "We definitively have to step in, I don't want him to end up like Suzui!" The cat was distressed, digging his claws in the teen's shoulder. "Ow... Calm down, I'll call those two, then we can go." After sending a summons' message to the blondes, Akira booted up the Meta-nav, making them land before the Palace. "Now we just gotta wait for them to pop up here." Strix felt her stomach turn at the gaudy museum, to think that it was built with the suffering of Madarame's pupils...

Skull and Panther got incensed when Joker updated them about Madarame's case, not willing to overlook a possible Suzui situation. "He's just a piece of shit who preys on the weak!" Then the blondes wondered why Strix was there. "My source will need those names on the exhibits, Madarame does need to pay in the real world, right?" Now Panther was quite sure of her identity, but the numbSkull was still clueless. "Alright, time to find the Treasure." Joker's team nodded at his orders, it was time for the infiltration. Strix was disturbed at the number of people from whom the painter stole. "Tch... Help me note down all those names, time is of essence." Thus the group explored the hallways, avoiding the patrolling Shadows.

Joker silently thanked Igor for granting him the Third-eye, this Palace was quite troublesome now that there were laser sensors to avoid. "Make sure you don't touch anything or run into any of the displays, all right?" The thieves felt a bitter grit fill their mouths at the sight of the huge statue that symbolized the Ruler's subjugation of his pupils, crossing deeper into his lair. The tightened security led to some encounters with Shadows, but teamwork helped them overcome those matches. Although Strix did get irked that Skull had used her to protect his ass from an Onmoraki's Mudo. She glared at the Shadow, that Mudo had stung a lot despite being ineffective on her. "Pigyiih!" Strix struck like a snake and had its spindly neck in a vice grip. "Uncle, uncle! Lemme go!" She presented the corpse bird to Joker. "So, are you going to contract it?" The guy took a step back, the Shadow was chittering with fear in her hold. "Oh- Yeah, I will."

As the band of thieves walked by a large room, the huge gold vase caught their eyes. "Damn... that shit must be valuable..." But it might be a trap, so they kept going. Strix felt something on the floor with her cane. _"Holes?"_ She decided to play it safe and stay in the area without the strange indentations. "Hey, wait! You're just going to ignore that golden sheen?" Joker cursed, why did the cat get fixated on the vase?! "Hold on, you're steppin' on something!" Strix's paranoia paid off, as Mona triggered the vase's defense mechanism, making an array of lasers appear, trapping the cat and the blondes inside. Joker and Strix leveled death stares at Mona, who mewled pitifully. "So... we have to find a way to deactivate the lasers..." It was harmless, but crossing the light cage would be like a signal flare to every Shadow in the Palace. Thankfully they were able to free the blondes by finding hidden switches, making the glass panes rise. But Mona was still stuck...

"Hey boss, I found this vent, maybe it goes into that room we saw earlier?" It looked like a very tight fit for most of the thieves, then everybody stared at Strix. "Eh?" Someone had to enter the vent and see where it lead to. "Well, you're the tiniest one here, so- Eep!" The chilly side-look made Skull shudder. "Fine." The grate was removed and the detective crawled in, ending up in a security vigilance room. _"That terminal should be linked to the lasers, but it needs a passcode..."_ Strix spotted a few Shadows talking right outside the room and went to eavesdrop. _"Hello, 07734... that's too simplistic..."_ But her foes' stupidity was her advantage. After inputting the code, Mona was free. Once the team was rounded up, Joker bopped the cat on the head for this stunt, even if it led to the discovery of Treasure Demons. "Next time you do that, I'll make a shamisen with your belly." Mona covered his stomach and nodded frantically. "It's just that it was too alluring..." The others just leveled angry stares at the cat, their leader had scolded him enough for now. "We can still advance, so hop on it."

The museum was quite expansive and they were forced to take alternate routes due to the alarm lasers. "Hm, why is there an open space?" And it led to an even flashier building, making the group get sick at the opulence. "... Maybe the Treasure is there...?" The thieves deadpanned at the security overkill on the plaza leading into the building. Several lasers crisscrossed the area and there was live wire on the ground, ready to incapacitate a burglar. Then there were the doors, those looked impassable. "Yeah, the Treasure is defo' there." The issue was how to disable the security and unlock those gates. "Wait... That door... I think I've seen that pattern somewhere..." Strix paid attention to what Mona said. "That door has a real equivalent... There may be another way to open it." Joker faced Strix, it was time to put a tip with Badou. Skull and Panther asked for instructions, but the leader reassured them that he had a plan. "I know what to do. Guys, let's retreat for today."

**~I need to learn new recipes...~**

As the veteran was exiting the precinct, he got approached by a pipsqueak with a cat. "Hrm?" Badou wondered what this squirt had to tell him. "I heard that you were investigating Madarame?" Akira faced the huge detective, who remembered seeing the kid back in Leblanc. "Yeah, what of it?" The teen scratched his neck, wondering if he looked suspicious to the detective. "You see, I got to pay a visit to Madarame. I found a heavily secured locked door in there, it's on the second floor." Badou frowned, it did sound fishy, but and if it were a false alarm? "Perhaps there's something in there?" The veteran raised a brow. "Is that so...? Hm..." Could he take this kid's words at face value? _"But now that I think of it... didn't Nakanohara say something similar? Of how Madarame seemed protective of a certain room?"_ Badou sighed and clapped Akira's shoulder. "Thanks for your collaboration, I'll look into it." But it would have to wait for tomorrow, he was mentally burned from paperwork.

The next day... Ann looked up at the shack with a heavy heart, Morgana had said that for the plan to work, Madarame had to see a member of their group enter the forbidden area, and she was the only one with the means to do so. _"Akira, that detective better show up on time!"_ Her dignity was on the line here, she may be a model, but she wasn't made for the risqué stuff like nudes. She sighed, praying to have Lady Luck smile at her. She entered the shack and found the artist rummaging through his art supplies to get the necessary tools for his piece. Yusuke was pleasantly surprised that she returned to pose for him, without her friends to distract him. "As I told you, Madarame will return within twenty or thirty minutes." She mentally cursed, that detective had to get here within that time frame, so he should put his ass in gear and hurry up!

"By the way..." Yusuke squinted when he turned to face Ann. "Have you gained some weight?" The girl pursed her lips at his question, she only had twenty layers of clothes on, did artists' minds work differently from regular people? "Maybe I'm bloated today?" This was too humiliating, she hoped that she only had to do this once, that was the limit of her sanity. "So, then... can you, um... get ready?" In other words, strip, she grimaced at the idea, not eager to bare herself. "I'm embarrassed... Could you look the other way...?" The poor gullible fool followed the order, not picking on the fact that she was heavily stalling for time. As she threw clothing by him, her comments made him uncomfortable. _"No, I'm doing this for art...!"_ Ann's stripping took quite a while, then the teens heard the front door open, making it so today's session would be foiled.

_"Wait, that's not..."_ Yusuke noticed that the footfalls were far heavier than Madarame's and rushed past a still clothed Ann to check. A grizzled elder walked past the teens and went upstairs, then the door opened yet again, this time it was Madarame. "What's going on?" The boy ran after the detective, so the girl and his mentor followed suit. "Who are you?" Badou had looked around to find the door Akira mentioned, smirking once he saw the peacock. _"Bingo, this might be good..."_ The detective took a quick glance at the padlock before reaching in his trenchcoat and pulling out a crowbar. _"I wonder who's gonna win."_ Madarame saw the detective fit the crowbar on the padlock as the teens watched the scene unfold. "Don't! I'll sue you!"

Badou turned his head to face the painter, giving him a lopsided smirk, as if saying 'try me', before yanking the bar down and destroying the lock. "Time to see what you got to hide." He kicked the door open, revealing several canvases depicting the 'Sayuri' and other works, getting curious when the boy seemed to be overcome with emotion. "It seems that we got a textbook case of stellionate and forgery here." He saw Madarame getting red on the face, almost like pepper, so he patted his shoulder with faux friendliness. "Don't worry, we'll take care of these copies." He picked his phone and called his precinct, Garyū would have a field day with this. "I found a stash of potentially illegal stuff, send people with a truck to this address, we got a lot to carry." Then he stared down the phony geezer, making Madarame cower. "Get ready for the courts once your exposition is over." As the adults were distracted, Yusuke had noticed that Ann had made a break for it and decided to chase after her, intent on getting answers from her.

**~If you're willing to help me~**

The four thieves were waiting for the security system to get disabled, Skull even laid on the floor to take a nap. "So... Did Badou get there?" Joker was about to step closer to the laser plaza when the pods suddenly exploded and the gaudy doors were blown off its hinges and crashed down loudly, leaving a safe track into the inner parts of the museum, making the group jump with shock. "... I don't think we need to find the control room..." The security system and the doors were FUBAR, so they only needed to wait for their last teammate. "Wow... So that's how he saw Badou..." Strix hadn't expected this, what the heck was behind the door in reality? "Holy shit-sticks..." Skull was bug-eyed at the destruction. "... Where's Panther?" Mona heard screams and looked up. "Noooooo!" Panther had accidentally brought an extra, Yusuke landed on his feet while holding the girl. _"Are you some prince charming?!"_ Mona and Skull got irritated at the view.


	29. Chapter 29

Between the sudden blow-ups and the arrival of the pair, everybody was still stunned. "I thought I was gonna die..." There was an awkward silence hanging over the group until Panther reacted, jumping off Yusuke's arms and pushing him away. "Hrgh...!" He landed on his back, the fall had been more than he could take. "Are you OK? Wake up!" Once Panther's frantic attempts to reanimate Yusuke bore fruits, the artist looked at the five strangers around him, confused and disorientated. "Who are you all!?" Then he noticed that he could identify three of them as the trio that caused him trouble yesterday. "... But I don't recall seeing that man or this... mascot." The stifled giggles made Strix glare at the boys, making them gulp sheepishly. Yusuke got up on wobbly legs. "What is this place...?" Panther explained the situation, that they were in Madarame's 'heart', but he was understandably skeptical.

"I'm sorry, Takamaki... but are you sure you're feeling OK?" Skull got angry and unloaded his feelings about the painter. "He's nothin' but a greedy money-grubber." Yusuke got irritated at the repeated accusations. "Enough of this rubbish!" Panther made an effort to get through his thickness, urging him to see Madarame's hidden side for what it was. "... This is his true nature." But it was hard for Yusuke to accept this repulsive world as Madarame's inner view. "Just who are all of you!?" The thieves patiently explained the situation to the artist. "If everything you say is true, then the man I know doesn't exist..." The facts were there for him to see, but it was difficult for Yusuke to simply uproot his entire conception about Madarame and discard it. "My gratitude for him won't just disappear..."

Then the boy collapsed to his knees, it was too much to process at once, and his emotions were running haywire. "Sorry, but we don't have time to dawdle." Mona urged them to leave the Palace, as Badou's interference had sent the security levels to an all-time high. The males offered Yusuke a shoulder to carry him to the exit, as he was still in shock, but he shook his head and stated he could walk. The museum was a wake-up call for Yusuke, chipping at his pedestal. The thieves were on high alert to avoid the Shadows, a fight could spell Yusuke's doom. The artist managed to recognize his past fellows in the paintings, it began dawning on him how Madarame saw his pupils.

**~Well, you're right~**

Akane groaned at Garyū's request as she clutched a pack of Snackoos. "I have to do what?!" The prosecutor had a sheepish face and kowtowed to beg. "I need you to check these paintings for covered signatures or other alterations, please?" The forensic analyst crunched her snacks like a woodchipper, making the man fear for his skin. "You want me to check all those identical paintings..." She pointed at the packed truck, it was a sardine can for paintings. "FOR TINY SIGNATURES?! THAT MIGHT NOT EXIST?! ARE THE ORIGINALS EVEN THERE?!" Badou and his fellow colleagues prudently kept themselves away from her line of sight, she looked about ready to rip off his head.

If looks could kill, the prosecutor would have been long dead, she was drilling holes with her glare. "Hōzuki, it is of great importance for the case, so I beg you to do it with haste." Garyū had his hands together, he wouldn't back down, her skills were a cut above the rest. "Haah... Well..." Akane had tired herself out from the screams and stomping her foot. "I do suppose that I could put the x-ray to use... maybe even laser imaging..." The prosecutor sighed with relief, her forensic switch had been successfully triggered and she was now convinced to get into this grueling work. _"I should compensate her handsomely, Badou said that there were more than a hundred paintings to check..."_

He prayed for her to get conclusive results, otherwise, he'd be in danger from her rage over wasted efforts. Badou glanced at the prosecutor with pity as he hauled the frames, that lass was a force to be reckoned. He had lots of experience with that, women could be quite bullheaded, case in point: Mikumo. The painter had bitched as the stash was taken from his shack, but there was no way for Madarame to protest legitimate procedures, Badou had used of reasonable suspicion against him to enter and locate the forgeries. And the many 'Sayuri's were more than enough proof, summed with accounts of testimonies of attempted backdoor sales by the artist.

Then Badou spotted Mikumo with a video camera pointed at the pair, sending her an exasperated glare that she shrugged off with a carefree grin. "C'mon, Uncle... A girl gotta get her dose of fun somewhere, 'kay?" He messed her hair roughly, getting an annoyed growl. "Keep at that and you'll get enemies." She rolled her eyes. "They both know I have these kinds of videos and photos, I even had to send them copies of some... events." His brow twitched, what did she mean with that last bit? _"... Better not to ask."_ Knowing Mikumo, it was something better left unknown.

**~Will you continue helping me...?~**

Unfortunately, the thieves found a blockade, several Shadows cut off their path and the Ruler finally appeared, being a Madarame clad in a golden imperial kimono and with Kabuki make-up. "Talk about bullshit clothes!" The Shadow Madarame was as pompous as his appearance indicated, gaudy to the point of being nasty. "This... This is all one big lie... isn't it...?" Yusuke was still hanging on the last dregs of denial. "My usual ragged attire is nothing but an act." The thieves snarled, the painter was forcing Yusuke to a destitute life needlessly. "I have another home... under my mistress' name, of course." The Persona users shuffled their positions to surround Yusuke protectively, he was only a civilian.

Joker snorted, the painter had quite the public facade. "I'm almost impressed." The Ruler sneered at the thieves, lips twisted with disdain. "If you had the 'Sayuri', why make copies!?" Yusuke had to know, it was gnawing at his mind. The Shadow chuckled mockingly at his pupil's distress. "The theft was a false rumor! I staged it perfectly!" The detective had a venomous glare, this scum had to get his just desserts, Garyū couldn't let him get away scot-free. At Yusuke's disbelief, the Ruler explained his ploy to sell the fake paintings, cackling at how those gullible buyers believed him. "Art snobs'll eat it up, and pay good cash at that!"

"The worth of art is purely subjective..." To Madarame it was simply about the money, which was making the thieves angrier at him. "You helped me greatly as well, Yusuke..." The Ruler disdained his pupil, advising him to not bare his fangs against the master, awed at the boy's naiveté. "After all, it's much easier to steal the future of children who can't fight back." This callousness stripped the thieves qualms about stealing his Treasure, he was trash painted gold. Yusuke now saw what the Phantom Thieves were alerting him about, the scum named Madarame was a sham. "... You are unforgivable."

His heart was set, he refused to let this living rubbish keep stepping on him. "You damn brat!" The Shadow Madarame signaled his pawns to dispose of these intruders with extreme prejudice. "How amusing..." Yusuke's serenity was startling, did he go mad? But he had a mind clearer than never before, he finally saw Madarame's filth, it was repulsive, why should he bow down to that false painter? The thieves recognized the signs, Yusuke was about to break his shackles. "Though the flowers of evil blossom, be it known... Abominations are fated to perish!" Thus his Persona was awakened.

Strix had her teeth gritted at the process she just witnessed, she had heard that it was a different process from Mona, but seeing was believing. _"Wait, just that?! ... this is unfair..."_ She had to face humiliation in that goddamned TV World, while these kids had it much easier by just ripping off their masks... _"Muse has to hear this, I wonder how she will react..."_ The other thieves thought that the indignation oozing from Strix was aimed at Madarame and ignored it. It was time to face these guard dogs, so Joker smirked at Yusuke, one more for the team. "Let's see what you're made of." 

Goemon's ice skills were effective against the Koppa Tengu the Ruler threw at them, making short work of them, the issue laid with the Ippon-Datara. The thieves threw their strongest attacks to down the bitter blacksmith fast, but Yusuke and Panther ended up getting knocked out by its Sledgehammer until Skull's Headbutt managed to down it before it could rampage more. The Ruler threw a last disdainful remark before departing, ignoring Yusuke's attempt to give chase. "What a disgrace I am..." The boy had collapsed for good, between his fall and this battle, he was pushing his limits, they had to exit the Metaverse now before anyone got harmed.

**~A-Am I overdoing it...?~**

A secretary was about to leave another stack of documents to examined when her superior placed down the pen and got up. "Miss Kirijo?" The woman picked her coat from the hanger, barely glancing at the confused subordinate. "Put all the pending paperwork on hold, I have far more important matters to attend to, and it was delayed more than I'd like." Whoever was harassing her through all those inquiries about her unit should be prepared, for she would have no mercy for the cause of this unneeded stress. "But-" A stern look made the young woman snap her mouth shut, she might get fired if she said more.

Mikumo was chewing on a pen, bored out of her mind when a bombshell of a woman entered the precinct, sending several single males into a stupor. _"Tsk, horndogs."_ She got up from her desk and went to greet the newcomer. "Greetings, how may we help you?" Those sharp eyes would make a lesser mortal step back, but she had more than enough experience with steely gazes. "I want to meet Shirogane Naoto, I was led to believe that she works here." This was interesting, what did the Kirijo CEO need with her companion? "Forgive me, but she was sent into patrol today. But I do believe that you can find her at these addresses." The detective informed Kirijo of Leblanc and the courthouse.

"In fact, I believe that she is slated to go to the Prosecutor's Office, at this address, tomorrow around five in the afternoon." The Kirijo thanked Mikumo for her help. "What a pity. I have an urgent matter with her." The detective got even more curious. "If I see her today, I'll tell her that you want to meet her." The redhead sighed at the failure and left the premises. Mikumo noticed that the place was still way too silent, so she banged her fist on a table to snap her coworkers from their trance. "Back to your jobs! Wipe your drool! Seriously, haven't you seen a woman before?!" She huffed at how some men were walking awkwardly, damn overworked virgins.

**~If I can do that~**

Once they were in a safer location for temporary rest, Yusuke peered up at the group circling him, admitting that he knew of Madarame's crimes, yet turned a blind eye to that. His admiration and debt had shackled him to the painter, dragging him down, and apparently, the man had known his mother. "Wait, your mother...?" Strix's remark made the boy curious. "Do you know something...?" The detective thought back on what Badou had shared with her. "Please, tell me..." She felt bad for him. "Well, there's a prosecutor looking into Madarame. Maybe he can inform you better. His name is Garyū Kyouya." Yusuke marked the name in his mind, he needed to discover his past, and he wanted to know more about the 'Sayuri'. "Thanks, sir."

Skull sputtered with laughter. "Strix's a chick man! But she's very manly, eh?" The detective leveled a terrible glare at the foolish blondie, making him whimper like a puppy. "Sorry..." Then they returned to Yusuke's admission, he knew Madarame was a plagiarist, yet refused to acknowledge the truth, asking for them to forgive his refusal to see reality. "What are you going to do now?" Yusuke was in a crossroad, torn between staying away from this mess and participating in their group. But before a decision could be taken, they got found out by Shadows, forcing them to run.


	30. Chapter 30

 The teens had gone with Yusuke to explain to him the ropes of being a Phantom Thief and about the change of heart planned against Madarame. "Let me join... as a member of the Phantom Thieves." The young artist wanted to participate, unwilling to let the man continue to steal from more people. Besides, he wondered if a change of heart would be a boon to the police, recalling the detective and the prosecutor mentioned by Strix. Thus Yusuke was formally welcomed in the group, with cheers and grins. "Oh, and no nude paintings." Ann jabbed her elbow in Akira's gut for mentioning it. "I haven't given up on that yet, though." The girl got a twitchy brow, were all artists this persistent? "Give it up!"

Then they wondered about Madarame in the real world, with Yusuke informing his team that the old man had his britches in a twist due to the confiscation by Badou, yet was unable to flee due to his exposition, apparently, there was a hefty fine lined up for giving up on the exhibit and he seemed to have the hope of filching some and escaping the law before his tail got caught. "He must be desperate. I hope he doesn't do anything stupid." But the thieves wouldn't let him get away, the change of heart surely would make him want to pay his dues properly. "Any scandal during the show would be his loss." From the look of things, the deadline was the end of the art exposition.

**~Then I can change~**

Yusuke had put away his art supplies for the day and exited the school. But this time, instead of taking the direct route to Madarame's shack, he took the train that would leave him close to the Prosecutor's Office, praying for Garyū to be still there. _"Strix, does he really know more?"_ The attendant was friendly with him, giving him the directions to the specific floor and door. But he had a slight delay due to an argument between a wolf-man and a whip lady, they seemed to be at odds about police procedures. _"Garyū Kyouya..."_ The plaque was the correct one, so he knocked on the door. "Enter." A man replied to his knocking.

Yusuke wondered who he'd meet, expecting an old man instead of the jovial blond. "... I assume you are Kitagawa Yusuke." The artist was startled, the man already knew him? "Calm down, I have been looking into Madarame, so I ended up learning of you." The teen swallowed his nervousness, that made sense. "Sir, I came to ask about Madarame's past... He said he knew my mother, but he never said more than that..." Garyū sighed and glanced at a painting of a golden pheasant on a peony bush on the wall. "I know little of her as well. Kitagawa Yurie was her name. She was a talented woman..." Yusuke didn't mind it, it was far more than what his mentor had offered. "This painting here, it's hers." The youth approached the frame, admiring the brush strokes and the elegant signature.

"Mother... I wonder how she looked like..." Garyū frowned, was Madarame this callous to past pupils? Well, considering what he just saw, that should be the case. "I have a self-portrait-" Yusuke whirled around in a moment, slamming his hands on the desk. "Show it to me, please, even one second will be enough!" The boy was truly desperate to add a single thread to his link to his mother, no matter how flimsy. "Of course. Do you have time to spare?" Yusuke was about to answer when his phone rang. "... It's him..." The prosecutor watched as the once vibrant artist deflated before his eyes, becoming duller as he was reminded of the noose around his neck. "Another day, then... Here, take my card." Yusuke bowed with gratitude before he left. "You don't know how much I appreciate this..."

**~I just wanted to say...~**

Long metallic blue strands fluttered in the air as a woman climbed up the stairway, weaving past the people standing on her way. _"Wait, what was that?"_ Red eyes briefly caught brown hair and a polite facade before she reminded herself of her mission. After some questions to some workers, she had the way to Yuugami's office pointed out, she only needed to keep guard and wait for her target. "Understood, I'll stay alert for possible new developments." As a detective exited the room, the woman made her presence known. "Uh...? You are... Labrys?" She nodded. "Do you have time to spare for a meeting?" Naoto was slightly surprised, but it could be important. _"So they are moving as well..."_ "Yes, where should we go?" Labrys turned around and began walking. "Follow me."

There was a crowd gawking at the limousine, they apparently expected to see some big-wig, but Labrys dispersed the mass and opened the door for Naoto. "By the way, could we go pick up Rise as well?" Labrys nodded. "Yes, in fact, Kirijo may want her presence as well." A quick stop by the studio and a few shouts of frustration from a beleaguered manager later, the pair was accompanying Labrys through the halls to meet with Kirijo. "What do you think she wants with us?" The idol was extremely curious, they hadn't met the woman in years. "There are readings of Shadow activity in Tokyo, Kirijo wants access to personnel able to address the issue." Labrys opened a door to a meeting room, Mitsuru was heading the long table and offered the seats close to her.

Mitsuru had obtained information about the Metaverse from the pair and offered logistical support in return. "So this time an app is the key... I might ask for a meeting with Kurusu Akira, seeing how he is the appointed leader." Labrys had a frown, the conversation made her think of that strange reading she got. "When I was at the office, I detected an anomaly. It felt like a Persona User, yet..." Naoto had an idea of the source and pulled a photo on her phone. "Did it come from this person?" The woman confirmed it. "... Going by what we know, he must be the culprit for the mental breakdowns..." Despite wanting to solve the issue right away, Mitsuru knew that an overt reaction would be a bad idea, seeing how there was a conspiracy benefiting from the incidents, in fact, the one calling the shots must be the one responsible for the pressure on the Shadow Operatives.

Public support wasn't doable, but Mitsuru wouldn't ignore the efforts of a group that could deal with Shadows. "The Kirijo Group will unofficially support the Phantom Thieves." Then the woman asked the pair if they had specific requests. "Dunno..." The detective asked what could be of use. "We have made advances on the applications for Plumes of Dusk, one of them is imbuing motorcycles and other vehicles with the ability to run even in a location influenced by Shadows, with focus on the mileage." Naoto leaned forward, that was worth considering. "... Are those motorcycles sturdy?" The Kirijo raised a brow at the strange question. "Yes, they were tested in off-road conditions, such as mountains." The detective shook her head. "I meant 'can they survive a crash?' sturdy." Mitsuru was taken aback, what was the detective planning?

Rise got irritated at what her friend was implying. "Hey! Even I know that it would be a bad idea!" Naoto gave the idol a skeptical side-glance. "Says the one who bulldozed a dozen Shadows without flinching." Mitsuru rubbed her temple, wondering what the Kujikawa had done to warrant that statement. "Honestly, that isn't the sort of event that is tested for... What happened in this... Mementos?" Naoto faced Rise, motioning with her head 'you answer', getting an angry pout in return. "Well, you see..." By the time she was done, even Labrys had a look of disbelief. "A cat... turned into a van... And you used it to...?" Mitsuru had buried her head in her hands when the idol gave her account of the road rampage, this was the sort of person she'd have to rely on, although Rise did have the decency to look somewhat apologetic.

"Well, maybe something will happen to the bikes in the Metaverse? Like with our Phantom Thief clothes?" Frankly, the Metaverse was an unknown wilderness, even Morgana seemed to lack a firm understanding of its mechanics. "That's a good point. Kirijo, may we take two motorcycles for test-drives?" The woman nodded. "Fell free to take notes on what can be improved and tell us. We are here to serve as support." The idol got starry-eyed. "Can we choose it ourselves? I want a cool machine!" Naoto sighed, she should use practicality over looks. "Labrys, escort them to the warehouse, I have to return to my paperwork." At Mitsuru's words of thanks for their collaboration, the meeting ended in a good note, only for Rise to grab Labrys' arm with a grin. "Take us there now!"

**~No one knows what the future holds~**

Akira had taken his free time to put his Metaverse gear in order and check on his Persona selection, managing to make a pact with the aggressive twin wardens. _"I do wonder if I'll get to complete those requests..."_ There was also the clinical test, this time's effect of the vile concoction was similar to jamming a wad of wasabi in his mouth and keeping it in there, attacking his tastebuds and nose. _"She must be a sadist... that's the only explanation..."_ He also got some extra insight into the issue plaguing the good doctor, learning the origin of the 'Plague' moniker. _"... but did she really kill someone? ... I should ask Ichijou to check, Naoto got a lot on her plate..."_ He only hoped the woman would accept the task.

The teen took a few days to nurture his bonds with his teammates, wondering what the detective was up to, seeing how she seemed to be accumulating Metaverse fatigue every time he saw her in Leblanc. _"I hope she doesn't collapse from overdoing it..."_ He had tried to ask her about it, but Naoto had said she was just testing something with Rise, and that he should expect something soon. _"Eh? Does she intend it to be a surprise?"_ Another curious incident was when he got a call from the idol, who almost busted his eardrum by cursing him to the point that even the Devil would blush, spouting things like having to do a proper Persona Awakening before devolving into a rambling wreck and someone shouted before the call disconnected from the blue. _"What was that about? I think that was Naoto at the end..."_ "Meow, that was a bizarre call... What happened?"

Morgana pawed Akira awake, telling him that today they should instruct Yusuke on the ways of the Metaverse, using Mementos as the training ground. "Yeah, you got a point..." A few messages later and the teens were ready to dive in, although Akira was unable to get a hold of both Naoto and Rise. _"Maybe they're already in?"_ Oh well, time to teach the artist the finer details of being a Phantom Thief if he were to take part in the heist. "So do we each hold Palaces within ourselves as well?" Morgana and Ryuji both stated that only the most distorted people, most commonly they were criminals, held ownership of Palaces and that once you had a Persona, you couldn't have a Palace. "It's just impossible for them to form."

Akira mused over the matter, considering that Personas were the negative side of a person, the same as Shadow Rulers, it made sense. _"It sounds like an either/or situation."_ At least it meant they wouldn't have to deal with some weird personification from their fellow teammates. - Two females got irked, yet they couldn't figure why. - Apparently having a Persona meant that one's emotions and desires wouldn't suffer under stress and become warped, it was a reassuring concept. Then came the explanation about the Meta-nav, of how one had to guess the distortion that shaped the Palace. "It'll prolly get pretty tricky from here on out too." Yusuke mulled over the things he learned, committing to memory. "Hm, I feel as though I have a good grasp of the basic concepts." Now that it was settled, it was time to go into Mementos.


	31. Chapter 31

As the young Phantom Thieves walked into Mementos, they heard two engines running in their direction. "What the hell?!" Skull was shocked to see the pair of gleaming motorcycles speeding towards them, with familiar faces riding them. "Heya, folks! Whatcha think of our babes?" Muse had a proud grin as she patted the metal. "Man, that shit looks rad!" The idol's motorcycle was a deep wine tint with golden thorny vines as decorations, while the detective's was a muted dark blue with gray details. Skull was star-struck and wanted to pilot one, but his leader had called dibs. Yusuke got interested in the new teammate, wondering who she was. _"Oh, she looks quite well proportioned, would she accept to model for me?"_ Joker introduced the idol to Yusuke.

"Did you decide on his codename?" Yusuke stared at Strix. "Why not Kitsune? Look at his mask." Most voiced their agreement with Panther. "I'd rather be Da Vinci." Skull shot that dead straight and offered Abura-age instead. "Pack of imbeciles..." Muse held back her giggles as Strix expressed her dismay at their antics. "Nuh-uh! Not happening!" Panther refused to have such an idiotic name in the team and asked for the leader to decide. _"... Most people here have names based on the mask... even Strix, it apparently means 'Owl'..."_ Joker nodded, it could only be... "Fox." The artist accepted the name, putting a rest to the matter, so Joker took the chance to pull Strix aside for a talk. "We both know that Muse won't be allowed in the driver's seat, so..." 

"Can I pilot it while you drive Mona?" Joker made kitten eyes at Strix, having learned from Mona. "Uh..." Mona only trusted her with the wheel for now, after Muse's trauma-instilling rides. "... Fine. Haah, at least they won't be destroyed if you hit a Shadow." Oh? For her to know that, Joker deduced that the idol had run wild in Mementos with her bike, he'd pay to get a recording. "Hooray! ... By the way, where did you get these? I don't think a normal bike can run in this world." Strix explained about the Kirijo Group. "Wait a sec, there's an entire company to deal with Shadows?" Joker hoped that the CEO would contact him as soon as possible, he had so many questions, then he got a nagging feeling now that he knew those two were doing their own thing in the Metaverse. "So... How did you test those?"

* * *

_Muse had wanted to give her new ride a go straight away, so she had gotten a bit too eager with the accelerator. "Whoah!" The motorcycle bucked like a horse, making her fall, in the next instant it shot straight at a Shadow and bashed its face in, then there was a loud thud. "... I warned you to be careful..." Strix had a stern frown aimed at her friend. "My bad... I hope it's not totaled..." The Shadow was twitching, there was a clear dent on its 'head', but the motorcycle was completely fine, despite the black smear of something on the body. "So it's not merely a cosmetic change..." Perhaps their Personas were lending their power through the Plume of Dusk to protect the vehicles, making them sturdier. But Strix felt an ill omen at the glint of mischief, this gave Muse more freedom to horse around in Mementos, surely there would be a bloody carnage again. "Great~!"_

* * *

Strix had the face of someone who ate a lemon and averted her face. "You don't need to worry about the details." This only served to make the teen curiouser and curiouser, but the woman refused to talk. "Come on..." He tried to meet her eyes, but she refused. _"Fine, I'll ask her later."_ Then there was a general warning. "There's a Shadow far stronger than most lurking within Mementos, it pops up when we stay too long in a given floor, so keep an eye on the time." Mona was looking ill, recalling the terror of the Reaper chase. "We have no chance to fend it off..." This time's mission was to beat the Shadow of a Takanashi fellow. "Oh? Then just follow me, my familiars will spot the distortions in a jiffy!"

Joker got on the bike by Muse as the team got into the MonaCar. "Oh, it's changing colors!" The blue and gray darkened straight to ebony and scarlet jagged lines similar to lightning ripped the blackness. "Awesome!" It was akin to Arsène's horns, and the growl of the engine sent his blood pumping faster. "Dude! You gotta let me ride on the way back!" Skull had opened the window and shouted at his leader, excited for his turn, who knew how the bike would react to Captain Kidd. "Okay, here's what you need to know..." Muse gave Joker a rundown of the gear shift and steering. "The rest you will get to learn hands-on." Now the leader had his best grin on and revved the engine, mimicked by the other two vehicles. "Alright, time to roll out!"

**~Not bad, uh?~**

Garyū had gone to the lab to check on her progress on the paintings. "Did you find anything?" He stood at a safe distance from Akane, gauging her emotional state for cues. "Tsk... There was a hit with one of the 'Sayuri's, so I got to put the copies aside. There's a Kitagawa signature that got covered, but..." The prosecutor got curious at the sad gaze. "... You know... that purple haze? It's a later addition, it's covering a crucial portion..." She walked to a computer and turned the monitor so he could see. "... That man..." Garyū was frowning, from what he could deduce, this painting was a victim of desecration. "... He stole the last memento she left for her child..."

The grainy image was monochrome, but the baby could be clearly seen, giving meaning to the mysterious gaze of the 'Sayuri'. "Yeah, even I can see that it's a mother's love..." The man scratched his neck, Madarame wouldn't get away with this. "Contact Ese, tell her to restore this painting." Akane stared at him with confusion. "If she needs funds, have her send the bill to me." The analyst wanted answers. "Why are you going this far?" The prosecutor smiled with melancholy. "Her son deserves to know what the 'Sayuri' really depicts, he came to me begging for crumbs of information..." The woman felt a knot in her throat, having heard of the orphan under Madarame's tutelage. "Understood, I'll get a rendering with better resolution."

Kyouya exited the building with downcast eyes, receiving curious stares from passersby. _"... It's ironic..."_ He let out a dry chuckle, finding twisted humor from the fact that he was using a past forgery maker to undo the dirty deeds of a fraud. _"I do hope she is up for the task after all her skills are second to none."_ Too bad that her father had exploited it, it was eerily similar to Yusuke and Madarame. _"But she did flourish, I pray that Kitagawa can do the same."_ She was taking a course on Arts, holding talent for many fields, and a museum had even scouted her for employment. Ese Makoto had gone through a hard life, yet she had persevered, the woman even aimed to become a conservator-restorer, using her past for good.

**~I see...~**

A girl winced as pain shot through her body, gritting her teeth to not falter. "Easy there, the strain can make you relapse." Shiho heaved as she lowered herself on a chair, even standing up was an ordeal. "Okay... doctor..." The young girl sparked sympathy from the nurses and staff in contact with her, having learned of the origin of her injuries. "I... just want to get better fast..." She smiled at the physicist in charge, despite the sweat and spasms. "I understand, but do heed your body, it knows best." The girl sighed as a nurse transferred her to a wheelchair to take her back to her room. "Until tomorrow, sir..."

A man was scratching the head of a falcon perched at the windowsill. "I know you dislike this place, Gin, me too." It screeched and took off as a nursed wheeled the patient in. "Prosecutor...?" Shiho looked up at him, unaffected by his austere expression. "Hn, you're a bit like her..." The girl tilted her head as she got placed on the gurney. "Don't worry about that. So, are you working on your pet project?" She nodded, she didn't want to rely on contraptions, she wished to stand tall in court, to face Kamoshida straight in the eyes and relay to the judge his deplorable actions. "Yes... it's hard... but I can take it."

Yuugami could see the will shining in her eyes, smirking at her steely spirit. "Good to hear. Don't go and drop from another roof, you have until June to be able to exit this place, even if on a chair." Shiho grinned at the serious man. "Sir... you're actually kind... you remind me of someone..." Yuugami snorted at her bright disposition, she was the third female to plainly disregard his face and act unafraid. "That's why I know... that you won't let him escape..." The man was silent, but Shiho could feel that he wasn't ignoring her. "Missy, you need to rest, I'll apply the sedative." The girl nodded at the nurse then faced the prosecutor bravely. "I won't disappoint... goodnight." Yuugami shook his head, this lass would fulfill her word, even if she had to cross a briar patch unprotected. "I'll see you in court."

**~You're a strange one~**

Akira was lounging at school now that school was over, wondering what to do for the day. That bully was quite easy, but Mishima just had to come to Akira and tell him that there was a worse guy behind the mess. _"Gotta find out who is before I can get to steal his Treasure..."_ Then Akira felt annoyed that Niijima would still glare at him at school, she even had the gall to accuse him of being up to no good when they bumped at the train station. _"Tch... I really want to play a trick on her... maybe I could ask Naoto to give her a scare..."_ Bah, she said the principal had to mind her feelings, what about Akira's feelings that she callously stomped on? _"Couldn't she have said no?"_

He mused over the girl, she was quite insistent, he only prayed Ryuji wouldn't end up opening his trap and spilling what he shouldn't. _"Luckily he hasn't figured that we got the Detective Prince and Risette in the team."_ Akira pulled out his phone, they should go and get Madarame's Treasure pinpointed as soon as possible, who knew what a cornered rat could do under duress. [Time to go to the Palace.] Separate messages to the detective and idol yielded the following: [OKAY, I DO HAVE THE EVENING FREE.] _"... Is her Caps Lock broken?"_ And: [Damn! My manager wants me to take glamour photos! I can't go! (TAT)]

This Palace infiltration gave the thieves important data, the cognitive interference from Badou was still intact, FUBAR security and busted doors and all. But there were Shadows milling about. Fox got disgusted when he saw Madarame's gold statue, discovering how great was his vanity. "Well, we're here to set him straight, buddy." The trek into the deeper parts was mostly uneventful until they reached a large room with invisible laser walls. "Alright, follow my lead and don't wander off from my path." Too bad that the security Shadows weren't constrained by the lasers. Skull griped over Madarame's paranoia, irritated that they had to walk on eggs despite having monsters on their asses.

When the band reached a hall with large frames, Fox felt that they were odd. "It's as though I could simply slip inside..." He couldn't resist the temptation of touching the mysterious painting, only to jump back when his hand did enter the canvas. "Let's give it a try!" Strix figured that it wasn't terribly different from diving on a TV. But was veritably bizarre to see that different paintings were linked behind the canvas bounds. "That was weird..." The Metaverse was quite the surprise box. "Wait, there's a 'boss' Shadow there..." Skull was getting a hackling feel from the guard. "But the control room is behind him..." This meant that confrontation was inevitable. The Shiki-Ouji was a grueling fight, its Snap hit like trucks to the face and it couldn't be hurt by regular attacks nor guns. "Hm, let me try this one."

Strix made Skull retreat as Fox buffed her attack. _"This better work, girl, that guy is tough."_ Irene struck with Frei, helping to bring its health down faster. _"... I've never used a spell from that element..."_ Joker went into the security room, cursing at the need to use a password. "Can't they leave a post-it behind the monitor?!" Mona had scurried out to listen to any Shadow that might know it, learning that it had something to with Madarame's feet. "... Wait, this may be related to that statue we saw, it did have a plaque by its feet." A round trip back later, Strix read the plaque as the team stared at her back. "... 1120. Quite clever." But a damn pain for the thieves, how many roadblocks like this one were left? There was also the annoying painting maze that was a blatant attempt to make them give up.

"Shit... What the hell is up with this place!? ... My brain hurts..." Skull was befuddled by the bizarrchitecture. "... It looks like something out of Escher..." There was no point in trying to figure which laws of physics this place was beating to death. "The distortions are severe in this location." Panther tried to look 'down' but only got vertigo at the void. The distortions were so bad that there were literal warp portals. "The 'Sayuri'..." The thieves wondered how the painting was connected to this location. Fox mused over the fact that spotting the 'real' 'Sayuri' helped them advance. "Seeing past the false image has opened a path to the truth..."


	32. Chapter 32

The Phantom Thieves traversed the long hall, opening the doors to face a large room where the Ruler stood in, guarding a formless mist that was placed in a laser cage. "So that's a fully grown Treasure..." Mona had explained that once it was time for the heist, it would assume a physical form. "Betcha that it'll be a self-portrait." Joker wanted to check out exactly how the room was set up, they should trace a plan to bypass the Shadow guards and the lasers, and figure how to avert the watchful Ruler. "There's a control room close by..." Fox had messed with the settings, learning that shutting the energy only lasted a few seconds and that it wasn't linked to the cage around the Treasure. "So it's out of the realm of possibility..."

The brief blackout had attracted a guard straight to the control room, so the thieves made fast work of it so no extra alarm got raised. "Damn... What can we do to reach the Treasure?" Joker frowned at the conundrum. "Tch, we have to find another way..." They found a way to reach the rafters from a room that held several mechanisms for the support wiring. Mona felt confident that he could use a hook and line they found to grab the Treasure once the time was right, using the temporary blackout to get away. "It will be a team effort, so I hope you all stay prepared for it." But for the heist to happen, there were other things to do, out in the real world. "So, the calling card, right? Hm..." Joker and Panther had uncomfortable looks, they didn't want another Skull piece.

"What is that?" Fox got curious and Mona explained it to him. "That's how you make the Treasure appear...?" His artistic spirit tingled, the concept was interesting and he already had many ideas sprouting within. "The card is the challenge against Madarame... Leave its craft to me." Fox was welling up with the urge to imprint his woes and Skull offered to give him the template he used for Kamoshida. "Yanno, I think my logo is kickass, and you?" Fox looked at his phone, seeing the photo he pulled up. "Hm... May I improve upon your concept? It needs polishing." The blond deflated as his teammates supported the artist. "Sorry, but your art does lack some... finesse." He pouted at what his leader spouted. "Bah, do whatever ya want!" The thieves left the Palace to set up the operation, entrusting Fox with the calling card.

**~That's enough for today~**

Niijima Makoto was a persistent young lady, she was sure that Kamoshida's change was a direct product from whatever that group had done. _"Kurusu Akira, you may play innocent, but I know that it's only a mask, and I'll remove it."_ She clenched her fists, the delinquent transferee wouldn't escape, she would find out evidence that would corner him and make him spill his secrets. She sighed, the principal had been badgering her for progress, oddly insistent on finding the cause of the change of heart instead of uncovering the reason Kamoshida had managed to evade the law until now.

Still, it was being difficult, the leader, who she had identified as being Kurusu, was very cautious and would keep an eye on her while his underlings scurried away. _"They definitively know something! They are even meeting with a student from another school!"_ Kurusu was smart, his facade of reforming probationer was propped up by his interactions with the detectives that visited Leblanc, for he let himself be seen talking with them. _"Chasing him won't produce results, I should go after either Sakamoto or Takamaki, but it's a gamble..."  
_

Niijima considered her options and weighed which one had greater odds of success. _"I should try shadowing Sakamoto, his temperament may work in my favor."_ And taking some things into account, following the blond would be easier, seeing how he was less aware of his surroundings than his clique. _"Yes, it's settled, I'll start going after him now."_ The issue would be evading the ever observant leader, he might warn the ruffian to start paying attention and that would make her efforts moot. These last few days had whittled her patience and self-control down, she HAD to get at least something from her target or her stress would skyrocket.

**~... That's fine~**

As Madarame busied himself by going off to covertly meet lawyers to figure measures for his impending legal charges, Yusuke had the chance to analyze Ryuji's sketchy logo and think of ways to improve upon it. He had received the manga that inspired the blond for further insight. "Hm, it does capture the spirit of a phantom thief, but right now it's an unpolished gem..." Yusuke pictured his leader's mask and the ethereal fire, those had to be properly incorporated in the logo. "... Yes, this should work out." The artist picked his pencil and created a rough prototype before inking the definitive symbol of the Phantoms.

The cat got on the desk and looked at the new card. "Oh, you got talent, it's much better now!" Morgana admired the redesigned logo by Yusuke, humming appreciatively. "And remember to keep from getting fingerprints on the cards." The teen disliked the latex gloves, but it was a necessary evil. "I do have to admit that he chose a good medium, it only needed to have the edges smoothed out." Yusuke had made some copies to increase the chances of the card getting to Madarame and handed the bundle to the cat. "You should make haste, the place will be open for visitation soon.

"Who do you think I am? I'm your teacher, of course, I am the best at stealth." The youth nodded, pacifying the cat. "Understood, shall we go there, then? I can open the door for you." Morgana hopped in the bag and Yusuke set off for the exhibit, letting the feline enter to enact the first step of the heist. "Mwehehe, Madarame, you shall not escape the Phantom Thieves." Although he did have to evade the cleaning staff as he pasted cards by some of the more popular frames and even mixed some in the paperwork of the management. "Heh, there's no chance of him missing the card now."

**~It's pretty decent~**

Naoto was starting to get bored with paperwork, so she started looking around in the office, watching her colleagues mill about with their own loads. Then her eyes fell on her neighbor... _"She dozed off..."_ Mikumo had her head on the desk and was breathing slowly. _"!"_ Naoto frowned, did her hair just move? She squinted and tried to see if there was something hidden in the dark mane. "Meow." Golden eyes stared back at her as a kitten popped out. It licked its paw and shook its head, making the red scarf shuffle around. "Hm, Sissel?" Badou walked by with a jerky on hand and offered a piece to it.

Naoto had a confused face. "That cat...?" The man seemed to see nothing amiss. "Hn, she found it somewhere... She says he's her lucky charm..." Badou mused about the time when she first had it with her. "... Treat it well... Some youngsters say... that it can hex you." Sissel simply ate the jerky, not minding the people around him. "Mya." It jumped off and walked up to Naoto, pawing at her legs. "Heh, like owner like pet, eh?" She picked up the kitten as Badou walked away. "So you're her little partner..." Naoto got curious, Sissel seemed to have a spark similar to Morgana's in his eyes. "Mrow..."

Still... Why did Mikumo have a cat in her hair? _"... Well, Akira does carry Morgana in a bag..."_ The kitten got off her hold and hopped on the table, curling up to sleep. "... ugh... Sissel?" Mikumo blinked as she raised her head, patting at her neck. "He's here." This calmed her down as she resumed her paperwork. "I bring him along sometimes, I hope he didn't bother you." Naoto shook her head and scratched the cat's head, getting some purrs. "Don't worry, I do like cats." It helped that Sissel was very behaved, not like most unruly cats or a certain PITA bear. "Yeah, he's such a cutie." Sissel rolled on his back and snoozed away.

_"?"_ Naoto checked her phone, the card had been delivered and the operation was about to start. She was about to finish up for the day when... "Ichijou, Shirogane, we got a traffic accident, go to the location at once!" Mikumo groaned as she picked up Sissel and Naoto silently cursed her luck. _"Dang... I won't be able to join them for the heist... Rise, help them."_ To make things worse, they might have to track down the perp, so her time for today was a bust. "Ayo, it's Naruhodo again? Wow, did he break an entire mirror shop?" Mikumo's outburst made Naoto get confused. "Naruhodo?" The older female handwaved it as the cat settled on her shoulder. "I'll explain later, let's go!"

**~I gotta run~**

Muse was waiting for those little thieves to arrive, watching the Shadows flurry about through her familiars. _"It's like a kicked anthill..."_ She smiled once she saw the teens and cat. "Strix sent me a message, she's busy with work." Joker nodded at the info, it was a shame, but they only had this one shot. "Well, I'm confident that we can manage." The leader looked at his team. "All hands, get ready to snatch the Treasure!" A chorused cheer later and the band of thieves had gone straight for the Treasure room.

"So that's how it will go?" They had explained to Muse the entire plan. "Alright, I'll use my familiars to get the best timing." The misty birds landed on the shoulders of all the thieves. "Test." "What the-!" Skull got startled when his bird had spoken from nowhere. "Great, so voice does get through." Joker grinned, the idol was a fine addition to the team. "Go to your positions, we can't lose time." Muse was going to wait by Mona as the others did their piece. Skull and Fox served as distractions as Panther got ready to trigger the blackout and Joker waited for the signal to lower Mona.

"Just a little more..." Muse waited until most Shadows were far from the Treasure room. "Go!" As the lights went out, Mona felt his guts move weirdly as he got dropped on the Treasure. "Got it!" He sunk his claws on what seemed to be a frame covered by a cloth. Joker got the cue to lift the cat back as his teammates arrived from their stations. "Let's join them." Muse had untied Mona from the hook and the Treasure laid on the boardwalk. "A flawless plan, well done." The group had figured they got a painting this time, but the unveiling could wait. "How dare those vermin...!"

The Ruler and the guards were in disarray, so the thieves had to depart as soon as possible. The escape route took them to the outside and they had to navigate the treacherous walkways to get off the building and achieve a clean getaway. As they crunched gravel underfoot in the courtyard, Mona was getting antsy, his instincts were drawn to the Treasure. "I can't wait anymore! Let's take a look...!" Too bad that the frame was a shitty scarecrow doodle. Fox warned his teammates of the rising pods, in time for them to escape getting trapped. "Meddlesome vermin." Shadow Madarame had appeared with guards, and one of them held a golden frame.

The thieves confronted the Ruler over the source of his warped personality and the artist had many questions. "The only reason I took you in, was due to my ties with your mother..." Fox growled, recalling Garyū words, the prosecutor had said his mother was frail of health. "Her skills and talent were quite astonishing..." The artist shook his head, he had seen this coming, Madarame had stolen even from his mother. _"At least that prosecutor managed to salvage some from his clutches..."_ "I'll grant you a gift, a glimpse of the genuine 'Sayuri'!" Fox was floored, something in him screamed that it was his mother holding him as an infant. "This was painted by your mother."

The thieves were enraged, this scum had stolen the final gift of a mother to her son and perverted it! All just to hold onto some fame and for profit, undeserved to boot! "You destroy your art once it ceases to be of use... did it include her...?" Madarame cackled at this. "She just happened to have a seizure in front of me." The thieves snarled and glared at the Ruler, this piece of trash let her die just for a painting... "Son of a mangy bitch!" Fox saw the last of his reservations wane. "I now have no reason to forgive you... You're a despicable fiend who wears the skin of an artist!" The Phantoms refused to let his crimes slide and initiated the fight.


	33. Chapter 33

Shadow Madarame saw the defiance of the rabble and cackled at their pitiful hostility. "I'll paint all over you!" As he shed his human form and became a set of paintings, the Phantoms fell into formation, waiting for Joker's orders and Muse's intel. "Gh, he has no weaknesses, you will have to hammer at him!" The leader frowned, this time they had multiple targets to down and this rotten coward surely had some tricks hidden. The eyes attacked them with electricity, giving Mona a hard time. "Focus on the eyes and nose, leave the mouth for later!"

As the thieves rained attacks on the phony artist, Muse saw something odd. "Watch out! He's about to pull something!" Joker and Fox stepped back in time to avoid getting splashed with dark sludge, although Panther wasn't as lucky and felt a strange weakness. "Shake it off! Urk, what a time for Strix to unavailable..." The girl gagged at the foul smell and got incensed, kicking down the nose frame. "Take this, you creep!" One by one, the frames got downed, falling into a pathetic pile and giving the team a slight hope. "It's not over, be on guard!"

The parts melded back into the humanoid Shadow, who was guarded, now that he saw that those brats weren't to be scoffed at. "I'm the great Madarame..." The geezer still had some fight in him, insulting the thieves and boasting about himself. "You still have the nerve to say such things?" They resumed attacking the Ruler, not willing to give him a breach. "Taste the wrath of those you preyed upon!" The Ruler's attack, Madara-Megido, did make the thieves get startled, but it was a pitiful poke compared to a real Megido. "Hah, do you even know of 'originality'?"

"Grrr... Impertinent brats..." Madarame reassumed his form of framed parts. "Fuck you, geezer! Just get beaten like a man!" It was time to repeat the routine, avoiding the attacks and retaliating. "Dodge the paint!" This time Mona was the victim. "That ink again..." The idol noticed that the paint was the same as of some nearby cans, so she called for Skull's aid to splash it on the assorted parts. "This shit stinks as crap!" The Shadow screeched when the liquid soaked it and cheered at what she could perceive. "Yeah, it's weakened!" Joker gave the order to use their best attacks. "Get wrecked you old fart!"

**~Good work today~**

Naoto stared at the man sticking out from the dumpster. "Is he our victim...?" The guy had a suit and an attorney badge, but he didn't seem to be injured. "Yes, the witnesses can confirm it. But seriously, Naruhodo, you got sent flying by a speeding car and only have a banged elbow and a scraped knee?" Naoto was getting increasingly skeptical, this man should be dead or in the ICU, not standing here after getting out of the dumpster and looking sheepish. _"... Is this an effect of the Metaverse...?"_ She shook her head, that was a silly idea.

Mikumo was taking notes from what the man told her and Naoto went to get footage of security cameras from nearby businesses to maybe get images of the perp. Maybe that one convenience store would have better images of the incident. A cat was perched on Mikumo's shoulder, watching everything. "Myan..." Golden eyes scanned the scenery. "Mreow?" Sissel was looking around as his owner did her job, watching the people walk by, then he sighted something unnatural, a vehicle was out of control. "Hiss!" The detective reacted in the same instant. "Naoto!"

Mikumo dashed in her direction and grabbed her by the scruff, pulling her back as a bus sped by, missing both by a hair's breadth. "... What was that...?" The bus crashed on a pole and people ran away, yet Naoto felt numb, she had been close to death and only Mikumo's intervention saved her. "Shit... Are you okay?" The woman tried to get her colleague to react, but Naoto was still stunned. "Here, here, we're alive... that's what matters..." Mikumo knew not why the rookie was so impacted, but she took the younger female in a hug and pulled her away from the sidewalk, making her sit on a bench.

"Are you two injured?" Naruhodo had come to check on them. "No, but we should leave this for later. Naoto is..." The man scratched his head, the woman with the cap seemed to be frozen. "Should I call Kokone?" Mikumo seemed to consider the offer. "Keep an eye on her, I'll check on the bus." Naruhodo nodded and stood guard as the detective made a call. "There has been another accident, send medical aid stat." She shooed the rubberneckers and went to examine the driver. "Oh damn..." She cursed at the sight of the black fluid and rolled eyes. _"One more mental breakdown... Who is the culprit?!"_ It was frustrating to know your city had a problem, yet you were unable to solve it.

She shook her head, this would be taken off her hands and given to that brat Akechi, just for him to make up a shoddy explanation. _"Tch, and Naoto's in that state..."_ She decided that helping her colleague was more important than picking a fight with that snotty kid and retreated, helping Naoto get up and leave the area before those buzzards from SIU arrived. "I think we do need Kokone..." She figured the woman got set off by this close brush with death.  _"But... She's way too nervous, there has to something more..."_ Perhaps Naoto had some degree of trauma related to traffic accidents to be in this state, she was too distressed. "Alright, I'll give her a heads-up."

**~A kid like you...?~**

Kyouya had thanked Akane for her efforts, having to scan all those canvases was no easy job and it showed in her dark eye bags and sleepy demeanor, she even yawned a few times. But it was crushing evidence that Madarame was a plagiarist and art thief, and the fact that he made so many copies indicated intent to sell. And surely he would claim that he was giving away the original, so that was stellionate. "You should take a break... Rest from this task...?" The analyst laughed after chugging a can of energetic. "WHY? I DON'T FEEL SLEEPY AT ALL!" Crud, she had short-circuited from the load he gave her. _"I only hope she doesn't hunt me later..."_

He put on a business smile and thanked her yet again before leaving the premises. _"I should meet Miss Ese and check on her progress."_ He got in his car and drove to the museum she attended part-time, passing by a blocked street with a crashed bus. _"What happened here? I hope nobody died..."_ He also prayed that it wasn't another case of those mental breakdowns, that epidemic was too mysterious and nobody could explain its origin. He soon arrived ad entered the building, easily finding the atelier for restoration. A lone woman stood before a canvas, handling art supplies and brushes with expertise.

"Miss Ese?" He got her to snap out from her extreme focus. "Oh, Mister Garyū..." She fell silent again and resumed her work, tracing delicate lines. "So this is the real 'Sayuri'..." The man admired the woman holding her infant son, the fog of vanity had been dispelled and revealed that the mysterious expression was a mother's love for her child. He was right to choose her to undo Madarame's damage, Ese had done justice to the original artist's vision. "Is this yours...?" The woman glanced back at him. "No, it belongs to someone I know."

He sighed, the young Kitagawa deserved this, to have the last work by his mother in his possession, for it was his right. "I see..." Ese had been touched by the love she could feel from this painting and had given her best efforts to match its emotions, returning it to its former glory. She told Garyū that it would be finished soon. "Good to know. She deserves to have her art unsullied." Ese nodded, having obtained a deeper appreciation for art from her studies and a profound dislike for those who unduly profited off it. "Thanks for this honor."

**~You look normal~**

The Ruler cowered before the thieves, defeated and battered. "Eek...!" He tried to keep the Treasure as Fox approached him. "No one cares for true art..." The Shadow attempted to coax mercy from his former pupil. "Being a poor artist is truly miserable...!" Fox's heart was cold towards the phony. "You're done for, along with this abominable world!" Madarame was afraid for his life, but Fox only wanted him to pay for it in the real world. "Confess your crimes, all of them!" The pathetic man accepted the demand. "W-What about the other one, though? The one with the black mask?"

Muse reacted with a start, attracting the attention of the other thieves. "Who...?" The teens were interested in this new information, the idol seemed to know more. Mona recalled Strix's mission, so that was the one she was after... A rumbling reminded the thieves that the Palace was on the verge of crumbling. "Hurry up!" Fox grabbed the Treasure as Mona became a van, Joker was today's driver. "No, wait! Please!" The Shadow wailed after Fox, not wanting to lose his pupil.

Rise shook her head to dispel her mental fog, thankfully she wasn't close to the teens. But they surely would have questions, so she sought a more private location to wait for the impending call. - The young thieves stood before the shack as Yusuke held a canvas. "We should leave at once." The group unwinded from the heist, their adrenaline was still high. Yusuke admired the painting, the memento of his mother. "Was 'Sayuri' your mom's name?" Akira was curious. "No, she was named Yurie. That prosecutor, Garyū, told me."

Ryuji asked Yusuke if he wanted to stay with the Phantoms. "... Why do you do such things?" The group tried to explain their motives. "But will your actions truly make people happy?" The blond shrugged, there was no knowing until they did the deed. Yusuke decided to stay in the group, the Metaverse was a source of unprecedented experiences. Then the group began thinking about Madarame's last words and Muse's strange reaction. Akira wanted answers, so he called the idol and put it on speaker for the others to hear. **{I and Strix... We are hunting the culprit for the mental breakdowns. I'm sure that it's the one Madarame mentioned.}**

The teens decided to press the pair for more details once they met in Mementos and Yusuke would try to get more info from Madarame. Akira and Morgana parted from the group. "We should inform Naoto, maybe Rise didn't tell her yet." Akira dialed her number, only to have Mikumo pick up the call. **{Er, Kurusu? This isn't a good time...}** He got alarmed, did something happen to Naoto? "Where are you?" Mikumo gave him directions to their location. **{Look, she's fine, there's no need to worry-}** "She's still a friend! So I'll go there!" **{Gh... Fine... Just don't get run over- Crap, I'm sorry Naoto! Owowow, I need my arm attache- *BEEP*}**


	34. Traumas and confessions

Akira had rushed and cut corners as much he could, Morgana could feel the jostling from inside the bag. _"What happened,_ _Naoto?"_ The teen soon found himself before an apartment complex, facing a pair of women. Mikumo had a pained frown due to the grip on her arm. "Kurusu, come here, I can't take it anymore..." She transferred Naoto's hold to Akira's arm, who got startled by the pressure, understanding instantly why Mikumo made that face. _"Ouch..."_ "... So, where are we going?" The detective pointed behind her. "Naruhodo's Anything Agency, there's someone who can help her." That name didn't inspire confidence in Akira, but he had no retorts ready. "... Are you sure this is the right place?" Mikumo shrugged. "Well, they were my first option, don't knock it until you see them in action."

Naruhodo had gone ahead to ready up the place and warn his daughter and subordinate. "Minuki, no playing tricks on them. Kokone, remember my call? This time's client needs your other expertise." There was a knock at the door and Mikumo entered with two others on tow. "Pardon the intrusion." Akira guided Naoto to the couch and she had her head down. Kokone was taken aback by the sudden static filling her ears. "That's a serious case, what happened?" Mikumo explained what had just transpired to send her colleague in that state. "... She might have an unaddressed trauma... Can you help her, Kokone?" The young attorney frowned. "I'll do my best." Akira and Naoto were left alone with her to lessen the interference.

The attorney took a seat facing the pair. "Greetings, I'm Kizuki Kokone, and you two are...?" Akira presented himself and Naoto. Kokone felt sympathetic for the young detective, her mind could understand that there was nothing to fear but her heart was in disarray. "Okay, shall we start the therapy session?" Naoto had given her own account of the bus crash, but both Akira and Kokone could see the inconsistencies. _"Espera, Mikumo didn't mention cars..."_ It seemed that the detective was mixing this event with two others. _"And the fact she almost died herself isn't helping things... Verdammt..."_ Kokone prodded Naoto with questions, seeking to calm her heart. "Your memories are scrambled, it was a bus, not a car."

Kokone pursed her lips, the detective was stubborn and the session had to be stopped, for now, there was no way to advance with an unwilling patient. "You can come anytime to continue the sessions, okay?" Naoto nodded, her heart still held some turmoil, but Kokone had lowered it to manageable levels. Akira was about to leave after the detective, but the hold on his sleeve made him stop. "Perdóname, it's not meant to bother... But I can hear that your emotions are disturbed..." Akira gave her a neutral stare, choosing not to reply. "Sorry for bothering you. But remember this," Kokone smiled brightly, "I'll extend the offer to you, feel free to pass by anytime." The teen had no discernible emotion on his face. "I'll consider it." Her smile didn't drop despite the dry reply. "Addio, and stay well you two."

Mikumo had seen them descending the staircase from her seat by a vending machine. Morgana had popped out from the bag and offered Naoto a look of sympathy, not knowing how to help. "Naoto, are you going to return?" She glanced back at Akira. "... If I have time." The young detective averted her face as Mikumo approached them cautiously. "... Sorry for making you see that..." He sighed, despite acting unflappable, Naoto was still human. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." And he doubted Mikumo would either, she could act goofy, but that woman had hidden steel beneath. _"Oh, she got a cat too."_ Those golden eyes seemed to scan him with measured caution. _"Nah, that must be my imagination."_

**~Heh, idiot~**

Now that the Treasure was taken, it was a matter of waiting to see if Madarame had a change of heart or mental shutdown. Yusuke would serve as their informant, keeping tabs on the old man and prodding for information on the 'black mask'. _"... We still have to get information from Naoto and Rise, what are they hiding?"_ Akira had held back on questioning the detective, seeing how shaken she was despite the therapy session with Kokone. He sighed, his only option was to tackle part-time jobs and meet his Confidants, Ann even had some ideas to try and make her heart stronger. _"But they sound silly... Well, I shouldn't pop her bubble, now that she's regaining confidence."_

His days as a high-school student were uneventful until goddamn Ryuji dropped a bomb of a maid service and Mishima hopped in the bandwagon. The two hormonal brats had badgered him into joining them to meet at his apartment complex and use a vacant room for the 'Operation Maidwatch'. _"Gh... my stomach feels like it's twisting..."_ Two idiots, dumb and dumber. _"I only hope there isn't a crash and burn..."_ Ryuji had added more pestering to convince him to go and do the thing tonight. "Pathetic, making a lady come as 'service'? Count me out." Morgana had dissed the pair with richness of details.

Naoto frowned when she saw Ryuji and Mishima enter the vacant apartment by hers. _"What are they going to pull?"_ She huffed, it was none of her business, teenagers gotta be teenagers and she simply entered her own place. _"Now that I thought of it, I never resumed that project..."_ She pulled out Little Thief's diagrams and began studying it. _"Eh, there's someone else going in there?"_ She heard the door of her neighbor open and close. [You think it'll be OK?] She shook her head, she had to focus on these blueprints. [Operation Maidwatch, bro!] She deadpanned, it sounded like those stupid plans Yosuke and Teddie liked to pull.

Akira felt a stone weighing down his guts, those idiots were really going to pull this dumb operation. "To think... Sakamoto has a brain." Mishima almost bought a fight, but then he and Ryuji stared at Akira. "So..." The spectacled male pulled out his phone. "Leave this to me." He inputted the number on the flyer and asked for the service to send anyone available. **{We have a maid available in... 20 minutes.}** Mishima and Ryuji were getting nervous now that things were in motion. "Good evening... I'm from the housekeeping service." They even got cold feet and hid out at the balcony, leaving Akira alone. _"Those fuckers!"_

Naoto had gone out to the tiny balcony to get fresh air and relax from her study, only to look to her side and get her good mood dashed, those two teens were huddled by the glass door. [Oh, there you are!] She was staring at the pair, making them feel like dogs between a tiger and a cliff. _"Shit! A detective!"_ Naoto deduced that they had abandoned Akira, he had to be the third person. [Welcome home, Master. ❤] She frowned at the sugary sweet female voice, what did these kids pull?

Akira sweated bullets, that voice was too familiar... "Nice to mee-ow-t you." His face burned and he wanted to bury himself. Every word the maid said only hammered home the one truth he didn't want to acknowledge. "Are you... perhaps... In high school?" He cursed internally and turned his head away. "... I'm a dad." The maid was unconvinced and decided to leave. "Wh-What!? No!" Fucking Ryuji! "Mishima? Sakamoto?" Yup, it was friggin' Kawakami, his teacher. _"Why did this have to happen to me?!"_

Naoto watched as the teens jumped and ran off. _"I should check if Akira isn't in trouble."_ She met the maid on the hallway. "Y-You are-!" The woman was stunned to see her. "... Kawakami Sadayo...?" Naoto sighed and shook her head. "I'll pretend I didn't see this. Just go home." The maid darted away before she got herself deeper in embarrassment. The detective entered the apartment and saw a teen face down on the tatami, covering his face. "... Akira?" He twitched at her voice and rolled away until he was pressed to a wall. "Don't look at me..." Naoto felt pity for him, even she was feeling shame from this situation. "Do you want me to bring a futon?" He nodded, not wanting to face even Sojiro after this mishap.

"Just let me call him and make an excuse, consider this a free favor." Naoto waited for the man to pick up. **{Leblanc, who is?}** "Mister Sakura, I found Akira by my place with a sprained ankle, so I had him spend the night here, so can you let this pass?" **{What did the brat do?}** "Don't worry, he just took a misstep, he should be fine by tomorrow." **{Fine, if he's with you, I guess he can't pull any funny business.}** She ended the call and faced the body on the floor. "There, just match my story and things should be fine."

**~You can head home for today~**

People looked up at the large screen on the building, seeing Madarame ready to give out an interview. **"I... I have committed crimes that are unbecoming of an artist."** Garyū almost choked on his tea when he saw the feed in his TV, dialing for Badou to go and grab the geezer ASAP. "Don't let this chance slide, he's a slippery one!" The veteran grumbled at the sudden order, but complied and went straight to the studio where the interview was being filmed. **"I-I... tainted this... this country's art world..."** Yusuke watched the large screen with a stoic expression, feeling somewhat vindicated. _"My fellow pupils, this monster who tormented us, is no more..."_

Madarame devolved into a crying mess while the cameras flashed and the reporters furiously annotated his statements. "Give way!" Badou had entered the set and picked up the spindly geezer before he made an even bigger fool of himself, having gotten orders to take Madarame to a specific hospital. _"Was this what the rookie had to face? He's a blubbering wreck..."_ The old detective grimaced at the snot and drool, quickly guiding the phony artist to a police car he had called. _"This is way worse than Mikumo's crying spells..."_ At least she, as a kid, would cease her crying with the right bribe.

Garyū wondered if those mental breakdowns were linked to this sudden change of heart as he tried to calm down the hysterical geezer for the interrogation. _"At least he's lucid, unlike those who enter vegetative states..."_ The psych screenings that would be done later would confirm whether the painter could be held legally responsible for his acts. "I... hic... I even contracted-uh... a hitman for mental break-hic-downs... on my more defiant pupils..." The prosecutor was taken aback by this statement, this was huge news! _"I should keep him isolated, he can't get snuffed until I get more details."_

Depending on how this line of interrogation advanced, Garyū would have to contact the Chief Prosecutor himself, this development had too much potential to uncover massive amounts of dirt, perhaps even reveal an entire conspiracy! _"If I ever find one of those... 'Phantoms', I'll have to thank them for this chance. It's a service for the population."_ This was one strand, a feeble one, but if he took the right moves, it could unravel a net of corruption that might have started growing two years ago. _"I'll have to be cautious. ... I think I can't trust most of the police force..."_

**~I expect a lot from you~**

Many people had seen the interview before it was cut short, and the newscasters' commentary called attention to the Phantom Thieves. Niijima frowned amidst the crowd, the principal would have his britches in a twist again at this news. But in the meanwhile, the Phantoms were celebrating their success and increased fame. "As for me, I hope we just keep gettin' more and more famous!" Ryuji was ecstatic at the rush he felt. "Hello there. May I speak with you for a moment?"

Some officers approached them, making them get on guard. "Oh, hi." Naoto saw the commotion and went to help the teens. "Excuse me, are they causing issues?" The uniformed one had a slight sneer. "You know these kids?" The detective glanced back at Akira. "Sorta, I always see them together, they must be friends." The teens swallowed nervously, hoping that her presence would make those officers back off. "... Pardon me for assuming, but are friends not allowed to meet in public places?"

The stern man grimaced, she had Badou in her corner. "Tsk, let's keep looking. And you lot, make sure to disperse before it gets too late, OK?" The men walked away, letting the teens breathe easier. "T... Thanks..." Naoto waved her hand in dismissal before leaving. "I'm just returning the favor, thanks for helping me with Kamoshida. And do watch your surroundings." She had a point, Morgana even mentioned that having victims of those who had their hearts changed to meet up looked mightly suspicious. The thieves would need to be vigilant and avoid getting caught.


	35. Chapter 35

Yuugami and Garyū had marched in unison to the Chief Prosecutor's office, both intent on relaying their findings and suspicions to their boss. "Excuse our intrusion." Mitsurugi watched as the pair took positions before his desk. "What do you have to tell me?" Yuugami took the initiative. "Sir, these so-called 'Phantom Thieves' have acted once again." The man seated at his office pushed back his glasses as his subordinate reported his suspicions. "Mitsurugi, there are two cases of changes of heart already, I do believe that we should look into it, the SIU is indolent and lacks real results."

Yuugami was quite sure that there was someone, either lone or in a group, causing these events, even the modus operandi was the same. "I see your point, but I believe that we should look into the matter of the hitman described by Madarame, this person is the greater threat to society, seeing how many cases of mental breakdowns have happened already." Garyū had obtained more details on this mysterious figure and urged his chief to take action. "Hm, I believe that you both are correct, but I couldn't help but notice a common point between your cases." The pair stopped glaring at each other to face their boss, curious as to what was the link. "Sir?/Chief?" Mitsurugi clasped his hands together and mused over some things he knew to be facts.

"This may be mere happenstance... but Ichijou informed me of a curious incident..." The man got up and his subordinates stood straighter. "Shirogane Naoto. She was sought directly by the CEO of Kirijo. Moreover, she has been involved in a strange case years ago." Garyū frowned and Yuugami fell pensive. "Inaba? You think that there's a connection?" Mitsurugi sighed and rubbed his temple. "We don't have conclusive evidence, so, if we confront her directly, she may simply clam up and become hostile towards us."

He wondered what to do, they couldn't stay stagnant with a dangerous person on the loose. "Hn... This hitman you speak of... I agree with Garyū, we should focus on the hitman." Yuugami started to see the parallels between this person and the phantom he hunted and helped take down. "Yuugami, do try to foster trust with Shirogane. I will ask Ichijou to try and get relevant information as well. Garyū, get more intel from your detainee." The prosecutors nodded at the orders and left. _"I may have to call him to deal with this, despite his sabbatical."_

Mitsurugi gazed out from his window, scanning the entirety of Tokyo he could see. _"To think that these mental breakdowns have a human perpetrator..."_ He rubbed his forehead and wondered what he could do with the resources available to him. _"I pray that I'm not wrong about Shirogane."_ He was betting on the fact that she knew something, anything, and was willing to share that knowledge with others. _"There's also the question of how involved she is with Kirijo."_ Being part of the law system and head of one of its branches, Mitsurugi knew of the Shadow Operatives. _"The paranormal... If it's real, then things will become problematic."_

**~It's nice to hear that~**

Akira waited for the next big shot for the Phantom Thieves to deal with, there wasn't much he could do besides taking part-time jobs and hanging with his friends and confidants. _"But I do need to deal with that thorn..."_ Niijima Makoto was stalking him, surely to discover some secret, he even caught her trying to shadow Ryuji and shooed her. _"Hm, I could try scaring her away."_ As he wandered through Shibuya, he sent a message to Naoto. [I'M CLOSE TO HACHIKO, WHY?] He smirked, that girl was following him today. [Wait there, I need you to deal with my stalker.]

Naoto frowned, what did Akira get himself in this time? She tried not to think of that teacher in a maid outfit. _"Isn't she older than me?"_ The detective hung her head, was this another Kashiwagi? _"For the sake of them, I do hope it's not the case."_ Then she tried to figure who would be after Akira and that she had to scare off. She scanned the crowd until she spotted a spectacled teen with a cat, waiting for explanations. "She's the one holding a magazine upside down, help me, please?"

Makoto was walking with her shield up after taking a brief glance at her target, trying to act natural. _"Come on, do something suspicious..."_ She bumped on someone and her shield was taken from her hands. "Is she the one?" The girl was frozen with shock, Shirogane was eyeing her with suspicion as Kurusu cowered behind the detective, making puppy eyes. "Yes, officer, I'm scared... And if she's one of those knife maniacs?" Shirogane pinned the girl on the spot with a glare as she opened her notepad.

"Brown hair, average stature, student clothing, matches the spoken portrait..." Every word was a weight dropped in the pit of Niijima's stomach. "ExcusemeIhavetogobye!" The girl snatched her magazine back and dashed away, leaving detective and 'victim' alone. "There, do you have yet another request?" Akira smiled sheepishly, this was the third time in the last few days that she had covered for him. "I'm sorry... Well, I have to go and meet with Ryuji." The woman sighed. "Do warn him, I can see that he's the worst of you at keeping secrets."

**~That's right...~**

The gaggle of second-year students entered the studio, Ryuji expected to get a celebrity target while Ann wondered if they'd meet Risette. "Come on, we'll be left behind!" The thieves fell into pace with their classmates. "... And that's why we recruit sponsors to help make TV shows." The colorful sets and cameras impressed the teens as a guide explained some things about the inner workings of the studio. The girl looked around, hoping to see the idol, getting bored with the guide's exposition.

Rise was walking off from her recording session when she saw several students. "Oh, what's that?" Her manager stated that it was an excursion from Shujin. "Is that so? Let's go rescue them from that boorish woman, alright?" The man only lowered his head, this would get them some positive attention, so he couldn't complain. "Hello there!" The teens instantly turned away from the tour guide, expecting something interesting. "Oooh! It's Risette! We get to meet an idol in person!"

Some of the thieves could see clearly that this was Muse, but one was more focused on the fact that her glamour photos didn't need much Photoshop to look nice. "This' rad! Hey, gimme an autograph!" This had made the day of the students until Rise got dragged away by her manager. "She's as nice as on TV!" "Damn, my phone just had to die now!" "Her voice is really nice, no wonder her music is good!" Ryuji and Ann were holding their courtesy photos with huge grins. "Dude! This' better than hearin' all that tedious shit!"

The thieves managed to part from their school group for a while to seek a bathroom and unwind. "Man, Risette could have ignored us, but she up and came to us... Maybe not all adults are trash..." Akira gave the blond a pointed look. "We'll be trash in a few years, remember?" Ryuji huffed, refusing to answer as Ann joined them. "We gotta do more of this tomorrow too...?" The teens doubted they'd be lucky enough to have the idol rescue them from tedium a second time. "No flaking out."

"We don't spend much time in this area, so why not relax and check the shops here?" Ann was curious to see the selections that a location close to a celebrity gathering point would offer. Morgana was interested in a place that looked like pancakes. "You mean Dome Town?" Ryuji explained what the place was about, apparently, it had an amusement park. "I think I'll pass on the puke rides... Oh?" The cat hid in the bag when he heard someone come. The stranger presented himself as Akechi Goro and chatted briefly with the teens. "So, you're going to have cake now?"

The entire group wondered why he mentioned that. "I thought I heard something about pancakes..." The stranger excused himself and left. "C'mon, let's go to Dome Town!" The thieves left the studio and spoke of the rides they wanted to take. "Ah? Where is it...?" Akira saw Ryuji start patting his pockets. "What's the matter?" The blond blanched as something dawned on him. "... I think I lost my phone..." The other thieves leveled deadly glares at the numbskull. "Of all things- You bloody fool!"

**~Happy now?~**

The principal had called Niijima yet again earlier. "How are things in regard to that matter we spoke of earlier?" The girl shrunk, she had nothing new to report, which irritated the pudgy man, then she questioned him whether he knew of Kamoshida's abuses. "What will come of you asking that?" Niijima wanted to have a reason, but the man only had empty words and insisted on having her discover something about the supposed Phantom Thieves, ignoring the plea for help from a student who claimed to be receiving threats from criminals. _"... This is frustrating..."_ Then an idea came to her, a mere student might be unable to discover anything of note but perhaps a real detective...

As the girl wandered Shibuya, lost in thoughts, she thought of a way to curb the Phantom Thieves and help her fellow students. _"But who can I contact?"_ She thought over those of whom her sister spoke about. _"The most approachable should be Ichijou Mikumo."_ The girl had even met the detective a few times in the past. _"Oh, speaking of her..."_ The woman had crouched to pick up something and was checking it. "Excuse me." Mikumo raised her head and looked around, spotting the Niijima. "Hello there, do you need help?" The cat on her shoulder had a lazy gaze, almost nodding off.

As the girl walked closer, Mikumo discovered that this cellphone was unlocked, then she saw a strange app. _"Meta-nav?"_ She tapped on it, but there was no reaction, it seemed to be one of those permanently active apps. _"Meh, I'll just drop it by a station."_ Niijima had a weird expression as she asked for them to find a private location. "There's an alley close by that might be empty." Once nobody was around to listen, the girl informed the detective of her suspicions. "Hmm... Phantom Thieves, eh? I'll try to check that if I have time, 'kay?" Then the girl thought of another issue that was plaguing Shujin.

"Um... What do you know of blackmails among teens?" Mikumo got deadly serious, startling Niijima and making Sissel hiss at her. "You look like the straight-laced type who is actually rash... Listen here, and pay close attention." Makoto wondered what could make the happy-go-lucky woman get in this state. "Let me guess, it involves Shibuya, a student goes in and come out with money, only to find themselves deep in blackmail and threats." Makoto could only nod and the woman rubbed her neck with exasperation. "Haah... Don't do anything stupid, Kaneshiro Junya sees all of Shibuya as his personal bank, and his gluttonous appetite for money respects nothing, so leave this to the authorities."


	36. Chapter 36

Mikumo stared at the huge bank. "... How showy." Some movement made her take cover, pulling the girl along. "... Boss..." "... Intruders..." She kept an eye on Makoto as she tried to eavesdrop on the patrolling strangers. "... Boss Kaneshiro..." Makoto had her eyes open wide when she realized this place belonged to the man. "We have to go in!" Mikumo cursed when she escaped the grip and dashed past the large golden doors, finding herself in a hall akin to a real bank's. An alarm rang loudly and several guards appeared from the corridors. "Idiot, look what you did!" Mikumo couldn't leave this stupid kid to her fate and joined her, snarling at the faceless mass until she heard a slimy chuckle from above, spotting a purple blob of fat at a balcony.

The Shadow Ruler smirked at the pair of females surrounded by his guards. "Kuku... What lovely items, you will sell handsomely." The mooks tightened the encirclement, making the pair stand back-to-back. "Kaneshiro...!" Mikumo had a vein pop in her neck with rage, knowing exactly what he planned from her undercover operations. "Ichijou!" Makoto stepped back when one of their enemies pointed the gun at her. "Grr... So that's how Uncle felt..." Sissel watched everything, alert for an impending attack. "You tub of lard... I'll definitively bring you down- N...!" The cat sunk his claws as his owner staggered out from the blue, and the girl was in a similar state. "Mya!"

Mikumo felt the mother of all migraines clawing behind her eyes, threatening to split her head. "What a hopeless situation, surrounded by foes, with naught but your own wits..." "Hey, if you got time to diss me, why not help me? You know, shove it, I'll get out of this by myself." "Haha, daring, even in the face of doom, truly a vivacious soul burning bright with rebellion!" She grabbed the cloth covering her face, glaring venomously at her attackers. "I am thou, thou art I... Destroy thine facade, and seal the pact!" The Ruler spat with disdain when his useless guards got overpowered and the intruders managed to flee. "Let them be." Kaneshiro held back his lackeys, sporting a sneer. "Knowing that kind of vermin, they will return..." A sleazy smirk twisted his obese features. "And I shall be ready to squash them."

The Persona motorcycle faded away, leaving its passengers on the asphalt. "Yo... Niijima..." The detective grabbed Makoto's scarf and shook her with justified anger. "What was the bright bullshit plan, you blithering buffoon?! Barging blind in enemy territory?!" Sissel was making a disappointed face. "Mew..." Mikumo dropped the girl on her rear and checked the strange cellphone. "But Kaneshiro..." Makoto recoiled when Mikumo stomped close to her. "I. Told. You. Not. To. Be. **Rash!** " The woman shook her head and huffed. "Stay close to me, I'll see if we can leave this place." Mikumo saw that the eerie app had opened a dialogue box.

**Do you wish to exit the Metaverse?**

**[Yes] [No]**

"Of course, I want out!" Makoto and Sissel were in direct contact with Mikumo when she tapped 'yes', landing in an empty alley. "Oogh... I feel woozy..." Both females held their heads. "My Uncle lives close by, let's crash there." - Badou had settled in for the night when he heard insistent rings from the doorbell. _"Who is the bastard... at an ungodly hour..."_ He swallowed his grumbling when he saw an exhausted Mikumo in the peephole, unlocking the door as fast he could. "What's the mat-" *Thud-* His surrogate niece was out cold on the floor along with a sleeping prim & proper girl. "... What?" He tousled his hair with confused frustration. "Girl... you better explain this good..." He dragged the pair in and tucked them in the spare futons. _"What the hell happened?"_

**~Sorry you had to see that~**

Mitsuru was watching the news with disinterest and shifted to a channel about celebrity interviews. _"Akechi Goro..."_ The host was asking the young man about his opinion on the Phantom Thieves. **{It's a bit embarrassing though...}** The woman clicked her tongue with disdain, sensing the falseness across the screen. _"Hah, you may trick all those people, but the Shadow Operatives already know what lays beneath your mask, Metaverse murderer."_ Still, she couldn't help but check on his thoughts about this new group. **{If they truly are heroes of justice, I sincerely hope they exist.}**

She raised a brow, what were his thought processes right now? _"Arrest Santa Claus? This little..."_ Mitsuru sighed, if Labrys didn't have that reading, she'd dismiss the boy outright. **{I believe they should be tried in a court of law.}** Now she really couldn't help the brief laugh of disbelief. _"Boy, we both know what happens in the Metaverse, stays there."_ How could a real court judge events that happened in a literal parallel dimension? _"Oh, that's... Kurusu."_ The teen had an unassuming appearance, but there was something in his eyes.

She watched the banter between Akechi and the hosts. **{If they honestly possess that ability... it could be used for more than extracting confessions.}** Mitsuru frowned, he was blatantly confessing he knew something, for those who could read between the lines. _"Like you are doing, with the mental breakdowns and shutdowns?"_ This last thought made the woman grit her teeth, thinking of an incident two years ago. _"Isshiki Wakaba..."_ She heard her phone ring right when the interview was over. "Kirijo Mitsuru speaking... I see... Very well, I will find a fitting time slot. ... Understood, Mitsurugi."

**~I'll see ya next time~**

_"So you know who are those Phantom Thieves? ... Look, let's give them a chance, you saw Kaneshiro, right? ... I want to to see if they can make him confess his crimes as they did with those other two. ... Don't tell anyone else, 'kay? I do believe they are helping society, no matter what the masses say."_ Makoto shook her head to dispel the memory, detective Ichijou had been earnest to convince the girl to stay silent. _"One chance, I'll learn how they do those changes of heart and then I'll give my opinion."_ She clenched her hand, having mixed feelings about this, most said these thieves were unlawful, yet a detective had expressly voiced her support.

The girl was in a fork in the road, snitch or stay silent? She thought over what the principal had done for Shujin, the pudgy man only wanted to save face and avoid trouble. _"Ichijou said... 'Sometimes, those in positions of power do nothing, letting those they should protect suffer.' ... She might be right."_ Makoto had taken a decision, if the faculty would do nothing to help the students, then she would do it. _"And she said to be friendly to them..."_ Damn, she had antagonized Sakamoto and his friends, would they even let her in the fold? _"_ _I wouldn't blame them if they say no."_

As Akira was on his way to Leblanc, he saw Niijima Makoto walk up to him. "Kurusu... Can we talk?" Niijima had a troubled face, it was as if she was having trouble getting the words out. "Uh... Okay..." The girl guided him to an empty lot, looking around to make sure there was nobody around. "... Niijima, why did you call me?" She reacted with a start. "Ah, yes. ... I... I want to be part of the Phantom Thieves!" Akira was taken aback by the forceful demand. "And don't you dare to deny it. I have Sakamoto's phone as proof." The spectacled teen was at a loss for words, silently planning ways to punish the guy. "Please, I need to take down Kaneshiro... his criminal organization is taking so many victims..."

Wait, wait, wait, time out. _"A criminal? Miss StuCo President found a lead on a criminal?!"_ Makoto averted her eyes. "I have one of those... Persona things. Please, I need help..." The girl was getting desperate with his silence. "I promise I won't snitch, I see now that stealing hearts can be good for society..." She stared at Akira and Morgana. "Boy, say something. The lass is waiting." Akira twitched and shook his head. "Look, I can't decide for my entire group. ... Can you come to the metro station at this time and day?" Makoto nodded at the request. "I meant everything I said... Kaneshiro has a well-protected place..."

****~... another time, yeah?~** **

Naoto was about to go on her rounds when a detective told her that the Chief Prosecutor wanted to speak with her. _"I wonder what's it about."_ She was waiting for the trial of that rotten teacher, maybe the boss wanted to have a word about that? _"But if it's the case, wouldn't calling Yuugami be a better choice?"_ Oh well, she shouldn't keep him waiting.

Mitsurugi and Shirogane were having a staring match, both were rapidly planning their conversation- *Blam!* "Reiji! Guess what!" Both looked at the door, facing one Ichijou Mikumo holding up a cellphone. "Ah. Uh... Did I come at a bad time?" Naoto froze at the sight. "... How did you get that app?" The detective got a Chesire grin and kicked the door shut. "Oho... So you know what this baby does...? Maybe you have a link to the Phantom Thieves?" Mitsurugi silently thanked her for getting a confession effortlessly. "Well, Shirogane?"

The woman rubbed her temples, feeling a migraine creep closer. "This is very out from my expectations..." Mikumo quickly explained to the man what the app was about, making Naoto feel even more cornered. "A... Metaverse, is it?" Mitsurugi felt that it was time to get the info he really wanted. "Shirogane, how are linked to the Shadow Operatives? Did you contact them about this... world?" The prosecutor frowned at the lack of response. "I do not intend to be your enemy. I wish to solve the incidents of mental breakdowns and catch the culprit."

"You even know of that?" Hn? Was she about to start being cooperative? "Yes, one of my subordinates got some testimonies about a hitman." The man sighed, things had escaped his expectations as well. "But until now, I had no idea of how it could be done. The mental breakdowns and the Metaverse are linked, correct?" Naoto closed her eyes, she came here expecting a sermon or a reassignment. "Miss Shirogane, let us help." "Yup, trust us. By the way, I found a target for the Phantoms as well." The woman looked at her colleague, like it or not, Mikumo would enter the fray. "As long this conversation doesn't escape these walls. This is what I can share..."

Mitsurugi saw sense in her request, now that he knew who was the culprit, and the fewer people knew of this allegiance, the better protected this secret would be. _"The Phantom Thieves... The SIU is starting to focus on them, so I may be able to discover something while their attention is focused elsewhere."_ That den of rats would steal the cases about mental breakdowns and foist them off on Akechi and Niijima. _"This is obviously a cover-up, how deep does it go...?"_ Mitsurugi was already tracing his plans about his meeting with Kirijo. _"We need to join forces to deal with this conspiracy."_ Mikumo was pumped up for action. "Alright, let's meet in Mementos."

**~Anyways, nice job~**

Joker faced Niijima as they waited for the other thieves. "This place is... strange." The girl felt awkward to be watched by the teen and cat. "Hey there, girlie! You're here too?" Strix and Muse walked up to them with another woman on tow. _"Goddamned Ryuji..."_ The pair of blondes and Fox were the last ones to arrive, getting startled at the sight of the two strangers. "Haha, so that's your entire gang? Quite the line-up, I see." Mikumo was getting excited, this was the phantom burglar experience she yearned for. "Very well, let's explain how things work here..."

Makoto and Mikumo were surprised at the conditions to steal a Treasure. "And you lot use codenames... Hm, I want to be Shade." The detective was chipper at the novelty of the Metaverse. "What could be a good codename...?" Makoto was undecided. "What about Queen?" Now it was time to hear what was this about a new target. "Heh, I and this girlie here, we found the Palace of Kaneshiro Junya, here are the keywords." Shade explained how the man explored those who fell in his net. "He's a slippery mafia boss, the police doubts they can catch him, despite gathering damning evidence. Heck, even I had difficulties getting close enough."


	37. Chapter 37

The Phantoms digested what Shade told them of Kaneshiro's dirty deeds. Blackmail, drug trafficking, selling people to prostitution, all sorts of nasty work. "So, what are your thoughts about this?" Joker saw that the votes were unanimous about stealing Kaneshiro's heart. "Alright, how long do we have for this operation?" The detective thought over the progress of the investigations. "There's a bust planned for July seventh, whether it fails or succeeds, Kaneshiro will surely be out of reach after then."

Then Joker stared at Strix. "Madarame spoke of a black mask, what can you tell us about it?" The detectives frowned, worrying the teens. "Our superiors are working on that-" "Pfah-! The police and the SO are rusty from outside interference, there's a conspiracy network, so we can't do much on that subject for now." Strix gave Shade a warning look to not leak too much. "Let's focus on Kaneshiro, 'kay?" The thieves gulped, knowing that they surely were going to be in the sights of this conspiracy due to their achievements. "Dude... we better be real careful..."

Shade juggled her tonfas, the Metaverse made her body feel lighter. "Yo Queen, let's train some with our Personas? We gotta pick the slack and not be useless." This touched a nerve with Queen. "Let's make a bet?" Shade smirked under her mouth cover, she liked a challenge. "Oho? I'm listening~" The girl dared the detective to a match over who could down the most Shadows, making their team shake their heads at her demand. "Alrighty then, the second floor as the arena, the limit is until this Reaper pops up!"

The thieves sighed, at least the usual Shadows were easier to deal with. Shade faced Queen and adjusted her leather gloves, sporting a daring look. "Let's dazzle them, Saizō!" Joker had no comments, he only raked in the drops and cash the pair knocked off the Shadows they tackled. _"Competitive idiots do have their uses."_ After a while, Queen and Shade were on their backs on the train tracks, having spent every last dreg of stamina to wreck the Shadows to one-up each other.

"Hm... Shade wins with an advantage of five tallies." The detective mustered a last burst of energy to raise her fist in triumph as the girl groaned in defeat. "Hey... don't feel bad... 'kay? This' a first that someone made me... work this hard in a while..." Shade patted Queen's shoulder amiably. "You... Haha..." The girl hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time and the pair began laughing. "Did they go bonkers?"

**~Who knows what'd happen~**

A woman with a smug demeanor walked down the hall as if she owned the place. "Why did you call me, little brother?" Mitsurugi closed his eyes and counted to ten, Karuma Mei would never drop that pet name. "Mei, what do you know of the Phantom Thieves?" The prosecutor frowned, what was he getting at? "What of those foolish rumors?" The man shook his head. "It's not a mere rumor... this group does exist, and I plan on using them to solve the mental breakdowns." Now, this piqued her interest. "And you are telling me this because...?" The man cleaned his glasses, those thieves were about to mess with her prey.

"Kaneshiro, they will target him next." Karuma gripped her whip, nobody would get in her way and escape unharmed. "But you will still get to lash him and take him to court." This pacified her a smidgen. "... Very well, I shall await this foolish criminal's change." Then she thought of a question. "... Ichijou Mikumo got involved, correct?" The slight crease in his brow was enough. "I see, the last time you got so invested, she was in danger..." Mitsurugi sighed, she knew his tells and used the knowledge to her advantage. "By the way... stay away from Akechi."

Karuma raised a brow. "He's the culprit...?" He nodded with a grimace. "... Is this another Ichiyanagi situation?" A bitter grit filled their mouths at the thought. "Yes." That explained further his willingness to associate with a quasi-criminal group, fight fire with fire. Karuma sighed, sensing that there was much more he wasn't telling her, yet. "Feel free to ask for assistance in this endeavor, crushing conspiracies is truly a... pleasing job." Mitsurugi couldn't help but shudder briefly at the predatory quirk of lips and the way she held the whip, his muscles were ready to run. "You are free to go." She smirked smugly at his twitch. "Until later."

**~That's good for today~**

Naoto took in a steadying breath, today was Kamoshida's trial and Yuugami had tasked her with keeping an eye on Suzui now that her testimonial about investigative procedures was over. "Haha, to think I'd get to meet the Detective Prince, life is really unpredictable." The girl was seated in one of the separate rooms, waiting for her turn as she fidgeted with her crutches. "How are you feeling?" Suzui held her head tall and proud, unwilling to let her weakness show, but Naoto could spot the shadow of fear.

"... You know... my stomach feels as if it's about to jump off... I must look pathetic..." She gripped her hands together and used her bangs to hide her face. _"What an admirable willpower..."_ It was obvious she wanted to anywhere but here, but she chose to come and take the stand. "Suzui..." "Eh?" The detective offered what she hoped was an encouraging smile. "No matter what your mind says now, no matter what others say once you exit this court, remember this..." She crouched to meet Suzui's eyes. "You are brave, I believe you can manage this hurdle."

The peanut gallery was stirring with the revelations from Shirogane and Kamoshida's renewed confession. Ann watched the witness' stand with trepidation, wondering if her friend would manage to get through this ordeal safely. _"Shiho..."_ She had taken this day off school to support her friend and prayed that the judge would be fair with her sentencing. "You spineless dotard, don't you realize this case was against you from the start? You should go through law school again to improve that pitiful defense, your blade is dull and brittle." Yuugami was ripping every attempt from the opposing attorney.

"Bring the witness!" Ann watched as Naoto escorted her friend to the stand, Suzui was clearly stressed, but she didn't bow to the pressure of the court. "Name and occupation." "Suzui Shiho, a high-school student, currently hospitalized." Yuugami and the attorney took turns asking her questions once she finished with her dreary testimony, from the moment she got called to the PE room until her almost fatal jump. "Hn." A hawk landed before the prosecutor with some papers. "What's that?"

Yuugami smirked. "The final nail in his coffin." The attorney blanched at his copies. "... A fluids test...?" "Hn, these results paint quite the scenario... Don't you agree?" The man groaned and ripped off a handful of hair, there was no way to spin anything positive from this mess, and worse, his client had already confessed everything. "I shouldn't have taken this case...! Damnit!" The prosecutor dismissed the witness. "The lass looks like she'll faint." Then Yuugami faced Mikagami. "The verdict?"

The woman swept her gaze over both sides of the law. "From these testimonies, the documental evidence, and the statements from today, with the Goddess of Law as the witness of fairness..." The judge picked her gavel. "Kamoshida Suguru, I declare you **guilty!** " The bang was the hammer that announced the end of this trial. Ann and a few parents hollered with cheers now that justice was served, feeling vindicated as the ex-coach was taken away to his prison by officers. _"Now it's really over!"_

**~How would you feel~**

Akira wondered if he could use the reporter he met at Madarame's shack to improve the fame of the Phantom Thieves. _"Let's send a message..."_ He got surprised to see that the woman had replied fast, calling him for a meeting at the Crossroads bar in Shinjuku. _"She's asking for info..."_ She wanted anything juicy about the thieves that were stirring the news, so Akira figured he could use Mishima and Ryuji, what, with their pride over the whole matter. _"Oh, Mikumo sent me a message too..."_ [I and Naoto won't be able to go in the Metaverse tonight, we're having a happy hour.] He wondered if the detectives were at the place mentioned by the reporter.

[Are you going to Crossroads?] [How did you guess it?] He could picture Mikumo with a shocked face. [Do you mind if I swing by with some friends? I plan on meeting someone there.] [IDGAF ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ if you don't drink.] He chuckled at her response. [You're the boss.] [You know Naoto might blow a gasket with this, right?] A few invites later, the trio of teens was on their way. Ryuji was excited to see Shinjuku by night and Mishima had sparkling eyes like a puppy as he stared at Akira's back. _"I knew you were amazing! Man, a mixer with older ladies!"_ Naoto and Mikumo watched the teens enter the bar and sit with them and Ōhya.

_"My, my, let's see how they fare against a drunk?"_ Green eyes flashed mischievously at the potential entertainment, earning a nudge in the ribs. "Behave." "Party-pooper." As Mikumo had predicted, Naoto didn't approve, but they weren't going home without chatting with the reporter. Ōhya was gleeful at what these teens told her. "I can already picture the articles!" Mikumo and Naoto had lost track of the cups that were theirs and those that were from Ōhya, only realizing the mistake when the older detective froze mid-gulp. "Pfft- This burns! How strong is this?!" Naoto had a grimace, having drunk a similar beverage and equally as strong. "Oh dear..." The reporter could make an oni blush with envy with her drinking.

Ōhya was especially keen on Mishima, considering how he could provide a first-rate account of Kamoshida's misdeeds. _"Hm? They look flushed..."_ Akira saw that the women were unsteady on their seats from all the alcohol in their systems. "Uncle... come pick me up... Ngh... scold me later..." Mikumo had already arranged her ride home, but the teen wondered about Naoto. "Whoa there!" He grabbed her arm to keep her from falling off her seat. "Are you okay?" She shook her head, swaying dizzily. "... no..." He thought of his options, he had to choose on who he had to keep an eye on, the boys or Naoto. "My lad, do you know where she lives?"

Lala approached them when she noticed the intoxicated detectives. "Yes, and Mikumo already called someone." The bartender nodded. "Oh, I heard. Well, could you be a dear and take her home safely? I will watch over your friends and send them away on curfew." The reporter was like a cat gripping a yarn ball, Mishima and Ryuji wouldn't go anywhere anytime soon. "Hey Naoto, lean on me." She handed over a key with a colorful bear strap, feeling her conscious slipping due to the alcohol. "... From... my place..." The pair of idiots glared at him when he started walking away. "Fucking traitor!" "Kurusu, don't abandon us!"


	38. Chapter 38

The young detective had really gone past her limit, having fallen asleep a few steps into the way back, so Akira now had her on his back, praying for her not to puke. The walk was uneventful, some passersby commented how nice it was to see a boyfriend helping his girl. _"Is that how we look like?"_ Oh well, let them talk. There was a silver lining in that disastrous operation, he now knew where Naoto resided, so he could return some of the favor by helping her. _"Who is the person she is chasing after?"_ He let his mind wander about the culprit for the mental breakdowns until he got to the apartment, leaving her in bed and crashing on the sofa.

Once morning came, Akira thought over the issue, Naoto would surely be hungover and he wished to help. _"It's no joke... It's a nasty feeling..."_ His father had let him drink some sake when he turned fifteen and he had woken up feeling like a zombie. _"Ah, I could ask him for that mix..."_ He picked his phone and waited for the call to be picked. **{Son? Are you in trouble?}** The teen let himself smile at the familiar voice. "Pops, I need you to tell me the recipe of your hangover cure." **{Akira... don't tell me you got drunk... your mother's gonna kill me...}** There was a drawn-out groan from the speaker. "No, it's to help my friend." **{Izzat so... Misuzu, how do you make my Prairie Oyster? ... Katsuo! I told you to moderate your binges!}**

The teen pulled his phone away, his mother had started one of her scolding rants. **{... I swear I didn't drink! It's for my pal, Sadao!}** Akira waited until the screams had ceased. **{Man... Well, here's the recipe...}** The teen grimaced at the ingredients, but his father usually got some energy and improved after downing that, so it might work with the detective. But he had complaints about some items. _"I'm pretty sure the wasabi and chili are to punish you, Pops..."_ This Prairie Oyster felt disgusting even from just looking at the ingredients listed, but he knew there was no other way. _"She better be willing to down this, I don't know what else I can do."_

Naoto felt like a wrung rag after last night. "Guh..." Ōhya had ordered the strongest drinks, no wonder the detective still felt terrible even now. _"... How did I get here?"_ She could hear someone in the kitchen. _"... It must be Akira..."_ Her memories were choppy, but she did remember seeing the trio of teens. Time to see if she had something new on her phone. _"I got a voice message from Mikumo..."_ [If you need the day to recover, I already got the higher-ups to give us downtime... *Garbled noises* Reiji... Bring some aspirin, please...] That was a blessing, her migraine was making her apathetic. "Hey, you awake?" Akira entered her room while holding a cup with a strange mixture. "It'll help your hangover, I think."

The raw eggs and grated ginger plus other roots made Naoto turn green at the gills, but she managed to take it. "Thanks for helping me..." The detective urged Akira to go back to Leblanc, she would manage things now. "I'm taking the day off, so there's no need to worry." He didn't protest, his phone had a few messages from his guardian. _"I bet he left a mountain of plates for me to wash..."_ Thankfully today was Sunday, so he only had to get blasted by an angry Sojiro once he got home. As he got close to Leblanc- "Akira..." "Kurusu..." Ryuji and Mishima were glaring at him from the alley.

"You fucking bastard!" The blond grabbed his collar and pushed him to a wall. "That was horrible! You're cruel!" Mishima had the face of a kicked puppy. "... My bad." Ōhya had left quite an impression on them to make them this thirsty for some retribution. "Nah, it's not worth it. I bet karma will bite you good." The blond stomped away in a huff. "Kurusu... I did my best to promote the Phantoms, but next time give a heads-up." The site admin had pride in his job, so he had taken it a bit better and expected to see a glowing article about the thieves soon. And as Akira had predicted, Sojiro left him a ton of work to do, refusing to direct a word at him. _"Whatever... asshole."_

**~He'll be stuck with it~**

Mitsuru had gone to check on her fellow Persona User, having heard the Yamagishi had taken a personal project. "Ah, Mitsuru! How can I help?" The petite woman got up from her chair and bowed. "What is this 'Alibaba' issue I heard about?" Fuuka fiddled with her hair. "Actually, it's the name of the person who managed to bypass my programming." This made the chief get wary, it was a security risk to be patched. "But I managed to trace the IP and now we are trading tips, whoever they are, their mind is brilliant." Mitsuru asked for more details about this person.

"The IP is hidden under dozen of layers, so only someone persistent would manage to follow the thread to the end. Alibaba is stationed in Tokyo." Fuuka wondered why this person seemed to know some things that were eerily similar to Persona and Shadow concepts, despite her probing not having outed actual awareness of the other world. "Wait, that address..." Mitsuru massaged her brow, wondering if it would lead to major issues. "The address...?" The Kirijo grimaced, Alibaba was too close to Kurusu, perhaps she should anticipate the meeting with the Wild-Card.

"... You are sure this Alibaba didn't steal anything?" Fuuka shook her head, thinking back on what she had dealt with. "The sensitive archives aren't accessible through the online system. The only data this person could access besides Kirijo accounting files were archives about locations with confirmed Shadow activities and personnel database. Although that one could still be problematic..." Mitsuru sighed, this database held contact information of registered Persona Users, so its contents could create unwanted interest. "Still, I believe that we should make an effort to bring Alibaba to our side, their programming expertise surpasses mine."

**~Pretty good deal, huh?~**

Mikumo got curious when she saw Makoto approach her timidly. "Hey there, you need help?" Her friendly smile helped melt some of the insecurities plaguing the girl. "Actually, I want to talk..." The detective shrugged, she had nothing for the day. "Let's go to 'Master's Confectionery', I think you'll like there." Makoto followed her to a pastry shop, buying the sweet roll she had gushed about in the way. "So, do you have any troubles? Or do you want advice?" As the pair sat down to eat, the girl thought over the conversation she had with her sister. "Why do you support the Phantoms?"

Mikumo raised a brow, picking on her angle. "Before _that_? Well... How do I explain this...?" The detective reminisced her past. "My biggest reason besides my own morality... I think that it's what my father would have done." Makoto was surprised, she had heard from Sae that Ichijou's father was a prosecutor, so why? "Heh, most people have forgotten it... He was a member of the Yatagarasu." Mikumo thought of hard times, of people she had met. "They were a group intent on taking down a smuggling ring. Their intentions were noble, but the execution... Let's say they skirted the law." The woman got up and struck a pose. "But they were truth burglars who tore up a tapestry of lies... At least for me."

"I think my sister mentioned that group before..." That would explain why the detective had taken a shine to these phantom thieves, seeing in them kindred souls. "Haha... I wanted to bring the group back... yet I ended up taking a different path..." But she was confident her father would still approve of her choices, as long she felt fulfilled with her life. "Ichijou... I think there will be some difficulties between me and them..." Takamaki and Sakamoto acted wary of the newcomer while Kitagawa was mostly indifferent. "Oh yeah, that blondie did snap at you because of Kamoshida." The girl had no idea how to mend this crumbling bridge.

Mikumo held her chin and thought about the issue. "Hm... Tell me the truth, did you know of that?" Makoto vehemently denied it. "Then tell them. In this peculiar situation, honesty is the best path. You will need to trust your back to them." The detective patted the girl's shoulder, smiling reassuringly. "Understood..." Makoto felt somewhat sad, she would have liked it if Sae held some of this warmth. "You're smart, I'm sure you'll figure something. So, don't fret, 'kay?" The girl shook her head, Ichijou hadn't been close to her prior to her blunder in the Palace, yet the woman managed to feel more familiar and supportive than her own sister... "I'm looking forward to getting to know you better, 'kay? And you can call me Mikumo, Makoto."

**~Nobody else would accept me~**

Blackout curtains made it hard to know whether it was day or night, only the clock on the screen could be trusted. The noise of taps on a keyboard filled the bedroom. "Phantom Thieves... Change of heart..." The light from the screen reflected off a thick pair of glasses, several news articles were open, all pertaining to a certain group. _"Sojiro... who is the guy at Leblanc...?"_ The recordings from the hidden mics had captured a strange conversation as well. _"... Shadows, Palace..."_

_"The first Detective Prince, she is in contact with that guy and was in those files..."_ How were Shirogane Naoto and Kurusu Akira linked? Why was the detective in that strange database along with names like Sanada Akihiko, Kujikawa Rise, and Takeba Yukari? The girl frowned, there was something fishy and she would discover what it was about. _"Mom... what did the Kirijo want with your research...?"_ She rubbed her eyes, it was about time for one of her naps.

**~You should head home too~**

Tired of the expectation of seeing the Palace in person, the thieves had decided to try and infiltrate the bank, despite Shade being unavailable. "Strange, where is it?" Queen looked around, trying to find the building from last time, wondering why they hadn't landed right by its doors like last time. "... WHERE IS IT?" A strange shadow covered them and they looked up. "What the hell?" The thieves got dismayed, Kaneshiro's bank was floating. "She did say she was an undercover agent, so that means her presence acts as a key."

Joker felt queasy, one more troublesome cognitive mechanic to deal with... "Shade's going to have a field day... I can feel her smugness already..." Mona sighed, at least they now knew the detective was vital to their mission, they would have to send the calling card in a day she was free to come. "Welp, there's nothing we can do, unless you all want to enter the den of lions." From what they had managed to deduce, normal citizens got access to the bank once they became 'customers', victims of Kaneshiro.

The presence of the detective was a boon for the thieves, as Makoto's cautious probing showed that few to no regular people knew of Kaneshiro. _"We might have done something reckless to get a clue..."_ Maybe they'd even barge in his headquarters half-cocked. _"And Mikumo found some interesting things about Takemi's past..."_ The doctor was currently depressed, thinking her patient had died, but the detective was gathering proof that said otherwise. The issue would be getting Takemi to believe him, he probably had to deal with her former superior as well.

Akira had given the order to lay low for the meantime, giving themselves a few days to stock medical supplies and obtain good weapons. He intended to blaze a path straight to the Treasure and send the calling card right after. _"Still, those twins are nasty pieces of work..."_ Sure, they looked like innocent kids, but every time he went into the Velvet Room, it seemed that Caroline only got more disdainful. _"You got a problem with me being the Wild-Card? Then say it to my face!"_

Soon after the failed infiltration, the leader had received a selfie from Mikumo where she appeared with Naoto and Rise. [Aren't we going to the Palace? I'll help you enter~] He felt his brow twitch, that grin was definitively intended to irk him, perhaps Naoto had let slip the epic fail from a few days ago. _"Fine, have it your way..."_ After getting to know the detective past the greeting phase, he knew why Badou had acted that way when he got her calls. _"Nosy woman..."_ He sent a message to the teenage members, it was time to rob a bank.


	39. Chapter 39

The trio of adults was already standing by the bank when the teens arrived. "You give the go-ahead, boss." Shade had a cocky grin as she faced Joker, who felt his pressure rising at her brazenness. "We should find the path to Treasure today so the calling card can be sent anytime." But the doors that Queen had busted were boarded shut. "No problem there, I found a new entry point." The women had checked the premises and Strix had located the hatch hidden by a statue, with Shade getting ready to go down. "We're wasting time, hop in!" The thieves jumped in and surfaced in a room close to the entrance hall. "This place is different from Mementos, we don't want the Shadows to notice us."

Johanna and Saizō could be young, but they packed power, their masters only needed to obtain proficiency. Queen was still getting familiarized with the motions of a phantom thief, but the detective was like a frolicking raven in this realm. "Heh, this sense of danger... it's thrilling~" Her smile resembled of a cat about to eat a plump rat, she fitted the role too well. Strix had peered into one of the corridors before pulling back. "Those canine Shadows seem keener than the rest..." The animal had snapped its head around in her general direction. "Geh, that fatass is too wary... You have no idea of how many close shaves I went through..."

By exploring the Palace, it became clear that the Treasure would be at the deepest level of the basement, and security would only get tighter. Joker had to guide his underlings past the cameras, lest the Shadow Kaneshiro became aware of their progress. "Once I see that purple blob again, he's gonna get it..." Every level they advanced seemed to serve to make Shade increasingly furious, making the thieves wonder what she saw while undercover. _"As long she points that rage at the enemies, I don't care."_ The leader did see that her blows became more lethal with her irritation levels, he only asked Strix to ensure that Shade didn't go berzerk on them.

When they did meet the Ruler, Shade seemed about ready to unleash her repressed fury, only deterred by the fact the obese man had secluded himself in his vault. "Calm down, give me time to crack these codes..." Panther kept herself out of sight, not wanting to confirm if her red clothing would make the woman act like a bull. "We better find the Treasure in this run, who knows how she will react to failure..." Thankfully for their collective hides, they managed to open the path to the Treasure, helping Shade to curb her appetite for a beatdown until the heist proper. "Leave the delivery to me, I wanna see his face when he gets the card, 'kay?"

**~Ain't that right?~**

Yusuke and Ryuji had set off to create a fitting calling card as the team went home to rest. "Alright, just wait for it, we're gonna make a kickass message!" Akira wondered how the detective would deliver the card, hoping her cover wouldn't be blown because of them. "Stay on your toes, the heist will happen soon." If things went smoothly, the Phantom Thieves would have another great achievement under their belts, having brought down a criminal even the police had difficulty dealing with. _"_ _From what those two told me, Kaneshiro will have to face a prosecutor called Karuma Mei. I hope she's as ruthless as they made her look."  
_

Although Naoto had to make Mikumo bring an end to a bar brawl between a pair of drunks to see the pent-up anger from the Palace discharged safely, who knows what rash idiocy she may have pulled otherwise. "Ouch, damn... My hand hurts..." The woman was still better off than the battered pair of rowdy men stewing in the holding cells for a necessary cooldown and with smarting pride. "At least it's better than having you hunt Kaneshiro and end up dead." Mikumo pouted as her friend plastered a patch on her bruised face. "I want to be part of the fight, otherwise I won't be satisfied."

Ryuji had almost bickered with Yusuke over the message, as both disagreed about what to write, only Akira's stern IM made the pair calm down and finish the job, creating a few copies to ensure that someone would take a card to Kaneshiro. Makoto received the pack of cards from the artist, intent on relaying the delivery to the detective, using their indirect connection to lessen suspicions. "Hey there, Makoto!" The girl met Mikumo close to the Detective's Office, the envelope changed hands when the woman hugged the girl enthusiastically, with it being tucked away in the suit as the pair traded small talk.

"What are you doing here?" Makoto almost jumped when she saw Sae, the woman had a slight frown. "Oh, Niijima. Can't I have a friendly chat with your sister?" The prosecutor directed a neutral glare at the detective. "You looked a bit too friendly..." Mikumo felt her brow twitch. "Oi... Is it a crime? Why don't you go to the SIU's lap if you want a case that badly?" Sae got irritated at the defiant grin. "What are you making Makoto do?" Was her little sister getting involved in troublesome things? "Interviews, those Shujin kids are really helpful. About what? Not telling." Mikumo tilted her head, taunting the prosecutor. "Can't have your ilk stealing more cases." The girl was getting apprehensive, the situation felt like being stuck between two predators. "Are you accusing me?!"

Mikumo snorted with disdain, pointing boldly at the prosecutor with a cocky smirk. "Accusations? More like facts!" The detective still had some anger and was using her opponent to vent. "Ichijou, Niijima." Makoto took the chance to get the hell away, silently thanking the intruder. "Hey, Panda, we were just _talking_. Some people can't help but be nosy." Yuugami faced his coworker with a stern gaze. "Encroaching on other's cases is frowned upon. Ichijou, Karuma wants to see you." The detective did a brief salute and left, but Niijima got held back by Yuugami's stare. "Choose your fights wisely. Lest you get struck down." The assertion hung threateningly on the air as the man walked away.

**~There're worse things~**

Mikumo had used her trusted position in the gang to plant some cards in places where Kaneshiro's lackeys would notice, staying around the mafioso to see when he landed his eyes on the calling card to kickstart the operation. _"Tch, this smoke is making me sick..."_ And those leers helped to worsen her mood. _"Just you wait, Shadow..."_ After almost an hour, an underling brought a card to his boss. "Hm? Read it." Mikumo felt slightly disappointed when he didn't get flustered at the challenge from the Phantoms. _"So you think it's a hoax... You'll see..."_ But that remark about people higher in the totem pole was worrying.

Once the coast was clear, the detective informed her leader, it was time to bust the vault. Akira smirked once he read the message, facing his teammates. "Phantoms... It's showtime." The thieves were gathered before the bank, the alarms were blaring loudly and the Shadows were alert for any signs of intruders. "Be ready to face the Ruler, they become rabid dogs over their Treasures." Shade twirled her tonfas, itching to pummel the criminal who gave her a hard time. "Come on, lemme at him." Joker grinned. "You can land the last blow, be sure to make him regret his actions." The woman cracked her knuckles. "Gladly."

Shadow Kaneshiro had been waiting for the thieves, his Treasure was hidden in the safe behind him. "Just accept your fate as a source of my wealth!" The Ruler was determined to repel the thieves and secure his riches. "This is where my gracious lecture ends." The man showed his monstrous side, appearing as a fly man. "Get the hell out of my face!" "Time to get crushed like the bug you are!" Shade and Queen were the ones most eager to knock Kaneshiro off his high horse. The Ruler saw himself pummeled by the team and retreated into his safe, revealing a giant piggy bank.

"It's time for yeh all to go to hell!" Shade traded accomplice looks with Strix and Queen, hatching a plan to get the Ruler off the robot. "Distract him, I'll find a way in." Joker heard the whispers and ordered everybody to attack the pig as the detective slipped off for her plan. The thieves dodged gunfire and had to brace for its slams. "Shade, what are you doing?" Joker could see that Panther and Fox were getting tired by its constant attacks, not to mention that Kaneshiro seemed to be about to roll over them. "Protect yourselves!" Sadly Mona and Skull got squished. "Guh... we can't attack when he's inside..."

"What the-! How did you get in?!" They could hear the laughter of a cat toying with its prey, the metal pig shook with the impacts of the Persona attacks from inside. "Should have paid attention, bitch!" With the last rattling impact, the huge pig opened its door, Shade kicked Kaneshiro off and threw down the Treasure stashed inside, the large gold bars clanged on the floor. "How's that for a good job?" So now things were over... The thieves only had to take the Treasure now, but one of them had unfinished business with the Ruler. "Wait a sec, I wanna do one thing."

Shade had a terrifying glare as she stood before Kaneshiro and a faint smirk could be seen through the mask, the detective was tapping her toe like a football player about to punt. "Time for payback, bastard." Fox had his eyes wide open. "Is she going to...?" All the males cringed at what Shade planned with the beaten Ruler. "Gimme a boost, Saizō." Flames surrounded her body as the Persona obeyed his holder. "Alright, time to sing soprano, 'kay?" Joker turned his face away and braced for the impact. "UOOGH‼"

Mona had his entire body bristled with fear at the blow she landed. "M-Meow... I bet the real one will feel this..." Now even the females felt bad for the Shadow twitching on the floor, it was that brutal. "Oh shit... I really don't wanna piss her off..." Skull was trembling with fear and empathetic pain, flinching a few steps back when Shade turned around with a radiant smile. "That felt good~ Well then... Let's go?" But the Ruler had some parting words for the thieves, questioning why they weren't abusing their powers."You know, there's already someone out there taking full advantage of what Palaces have to offer..."

As the younger thieves got confused, Strix frowned. "Psychotic breakdowns, mental shutdowns... anything goes." Those who had been in Madarame's Palace thought back on the 'black mask'. "We know his identity, he won't run free for long." Now even Shade was serious, facing the fallen Ruler. "We detectives work to catch criminals, after all." Joker decided to pry the identity of this culprit from the duo at a later date, they obviously didn't want to disclose to the others for now. "He's just a brat drunk with power, no matter what you say." Muse thought back on the culprit her own team had taken down. "A chance encounter with them could prove fatal..."

**~I can't stay long~**

Mikumo and Rise had twitching nerves at their current positions, only one of the trio was in a decent placement after escaping the Palace collapse, thankfully they were all in an empty alley. "Ye gods... How did you even get there?" The oldest female analyzed her situation for the best way to get her feet on solid ground. "I may act like a cat sometimes... But this is ridiculous..." Naoto looked up at her fellow detective draped on a streetlamp like a discarded rag. "Any help here? This stinks..." The woman turned to face her friend, who was stuck inside a grocery dumpster. "... Let's all agree to keep this secret?" There were no protests. "... Is there a bathhouse nearby? Goddamnit..."


	40. Chapter 40

A man with rough features had just thrown out the can of beer when he heard an argument. "This is unfair! Why didn't you get in a bad position like us?!" A woman was screaming her indignation at her friend, who was trying to help her. "I don't know, just take my hand, I'll pull you out." He scratched his head, this scene looked a bit weird, why would an idol be inside a dumpster? _"Eh, maybe I should help them."_ He was about to raise his voice to offer a hand when- "Whoa- SHOOT!" He only had time to look up. "Aya...?" A body slammed on him from above and both ended on the curb. The pair of women were watching the disaster scene, unsure of how to react. _"What just happened?"_ "Wow... this looks staged..."

Naoto and Rise stared at Mikumo, who was sitting on her squashed victim for a few moments of baffled silence. "... I think you should step off him..." The man didn't react for the meantime, the idol even got off the dumpster before Mikumo recognized who she had used as a cushion. "Shiryū?! Hey, Agent Rou, are you alive?! Wolfie, answer me!" The detective shook the body and the man finally regained his bearings, sitting on his haunches while holding his broken nose and snarling something fierce at the woman. "Oww! Birdie... Explain yourself!" Mikumo made a sheepish face, not knowing where to start without sounding like a loon. "Ahm... It's... complicated...? Can I explain later...?"

The Interpol agent was growling as he pressed his attacker for explanations, his distraction gave time for Naoto to slip out and buy a bandage and medicine for his injury, offering it as a peace bid for Mikumo's accident. "Grr... You're adamant in keeping quiet...?" Shiryū snorted with anger as he glared at a shrinking Mikumo, who was trying to hide behind Naoto and Rise. "... Fine... I'll let this one time slide, but if you do this again, I'll take this to Mitsurugi." He hissed at the stings from his injury. "Tsk, you're still a loose cannon, grr... You better have a good explanation lined up." Shiryū pinched her cheek to punish her before stomping away. "At least he stopped badgering you."

The detective had been sweating buckets at the palpable irritation. "For now. I'm sure he'll grill me later..." Naoto didn't comment on how the man acted less angry than she had expected, it was strange that he simply dropped the subject. "But, say... Who is that 'agent'?" Rise had pegged the man as more like a yakuza from his clothes than anything else. "He's a top dog in the Interpol, currently on a sabbatical, or so he says. And I bet he'll end up in this mess as well if the conspiracy does involve the high echelons of society." That was a reasonable conclusion, even more considering what Mikumo had heard while undercover. "I only pray that he doesn't go psychotic, that would be disastrous..."

**~God dammit...~**

The teenage thieves had landed in the middle of Shibuya, with poor Morgana squished under a briefcase. They had vacated the premises and went to Akira's place before people began paying too much attention, and then they checked the Treasure, only to discover that the money inside was fake. "I guess this represents... how everything he did was an act to make himself seem tough...?" That was a disappointing outcome, but the case looked quite a valuable novelty. "So... what happens next?" The young thieves would need to wait and see if Kaneshiro suffered a change of heart and if the bust Shade mentioned would succeed, surely a crime boss would be a considerable target to bring down and cause a stir.

Then the thieves began worrying about the criminal mentioned by the Shadow Ruler. "I was bothered by that as well." And the reactions from Strix and Shade indicated that they knew who this person was. "I plan on making them talk, leave this to me." Perhaps the pair would be reticent in sharing, but he wouldn't back off with such a huge issue that could harm his teammates. "Let's wait and see how Kaneshiro's change of heart goes first." The teens sighed at the need to lay low, knowing those two detectives would be in the middle of the aftershocks. _"Mikumo, please, stay safe..."_ Makoto knew well of how perilous the life of police officers was, and she was facing even more risks with her role as an undercover agent.

Akira had disposed safely of the golden case through Iwai. For now, he was unable to contact the detectives directly, they should be busy with the arrangements for the sting operation to catch Kaneshiro's ring and dismantle it for good. _"Although Mikumo did tell me that he seems to be acting oddly..."_ The detective had also let slip that Madarame was in special custody. _"His Shadow did know of the 'black mask', the real one must be in a secret location..."_ Maybe the phony artist got into witness protection, it wouldn't do to have him be eliminated before he revealed what he knew of this stranger.

**~Go to the police~**

While Mikumo and Naoto waited for new assignments from the prosecutors, they were recharging their energies with some treats baked by Rise, fully accustomed to the fire. "That looks good, may I get one?" The older detective handed one piece without much thought until her brain caught up with the situation. _"That was Mei!"_ "... Damn... Naoto, we have to run." Mei absolutely abhorred spicy flavors, so the Risette cookies were the worst possible thing to give her. She looked like a dragon about to go wild on them. "Understood." The detectives began running just in time to avoid the first salvo of the whipping frenzy. "You foolish miscreants..." Yup, the prosecutor had gone postal. "Don't look back, just hoof it!" The people of the Prosecutor's office all got off their path, Karuma was an unstoppable force.

"Why did you give it?!" "I didn't notice it was her!" Mikumo dived in between Niijima and Akechi, resuming her run after landing. *Crack-!* A belt and a waistband got torn apart by a single lash, leaving the boy's lower half bare. "Oh my... This is unfortunate..." The pair of runaway detectives slid down the staircase railings to flee, not seeing the newest victim of Karuma's rampage. "Stop and receive your punishment! Ichijou! Shirogane!" Mikumo decided to spare Naoto and delay her first taste of the whip, taking a different path and waving at Mei. "Hey, bet you can't catch me! Eierkopf!" The prosecutor got a struck nerve and doubled her efforts to chase the cheeky bint taunting her. "We may be in-laws, but this doesn't exempt you from my judgment!"

Naoto found out later that while Mikumo did get her coat shredded by the lashings, she managed to evade actual injury. "Don't worry about my clothes, she does refund the damage... in rare cases." The other piece of good news was that the prosecutor had discharged her fury by making a robber regret every crime he ever did. "The prison got a good medical team on call... thanks heavens..." Naoto could barely imagine the state the poor bastard would be left in. "Yep, it was a gruesome scene, she was THAT pissed off at us." Naoto stared at her senior. "You mean, at you." "Touché."

**~I'm such a freakin' idiot...~**

A police officer was surprised at the man who kneeled before him. "Arrest me... I deserve to be in jail..." He scratched his head, the fat man had nice clothes, was he drunk? "I'm Kaneshiro..." This spurred the officer into action, having orders to take this specific criminal to a special holding place at Karuma's orders. "Follow me without resistance." Kaneshiro was as tame as a lamb, despite being a known leader of a criminal ring. _"I have to put him behind bars before he recovers his common sense!"_ Thankfully for the policeman, his behavior didn't snap back to the usual, letting himself be incarcerated until the prosecutor arrived.

"Kaneshiro Junya... To willingly turn yourself in, thanks for sparing us the trouble." Karuma Mei glared at the pudgy man with icy disdain. "Nobody can know I'm here... Or else I'll be killed..." The prosecutor recalled Mikumo's words, there was filthier scum behind this stain. "... There is a man much worse than me... his hitman is too good..." This information matched what Garyū had obtained from Madarame. "Can you provide statements?" The man nodded frantically, sweating worse than a pig. "Just keep me safe from him...! He has eyes everywhere...!"

After a thorough interrogation session with the criminal, Mei had given orders for measures similar to those taken with Madarame to be enacted. Only officers she had made sure of being trustworthy were tasked with leading the obese male to his new quarters. _"Kaneshiro doesn't have knowledge of who is the man ordering the hitman..."_ She twisted her whip with frustration, untouchable targets were the most aggravating of all. _"Reiji did warn me of a conspiracy..."_ She gripped her trusty tool, intent on helping her little brother to see this case to the end. _"I don't care if I get shot either."_ As a prosecutor, her duty was to enact the law on criminals, despite the danger.

**~I appreciate the offer~**

As the pair of detectives left Leblanc, Akira faced them with determination. "The culprit Kaneshiro mentioned, the 'black mask' from Madarame, the cause of the psychotic outbreaks... I want you to explain." Mikumo turned to face Naoto, pulling out her phone. "Let's call them for a meeting. He deserves to know all the details." The younger detective nodded and dialed Kirijo. "Reiji, remember that appointment you wanted to set up? It's time to meet the kid... Understood... Naoto, tell her to go to this address... We're on our way, bye. Now then, be a nice boy and come with us, 'kay?" Akira found himself with a grip on his arm and towed by the peppy detective to the meeting location.

_"Morgana, you little bitch, ditching me in this crucial moment...?"_ The cat had gotten the hell outta dodge once Mikumo had a hold on Akira, Naoto only followed the pair. "Taxi!" The trio ended up in a street by Gourd Lake, with the older detective guiding them towards the lake and into a simple house. _"Who are those two?"_ A couple with stern expressions were seated on opposing sides of the bare room, staring directly at the boy. "Sorry for asking to meet here, but few people come around this area, so it's reasonably private. Shall we introduce ourselves?" Mitsurugi Reiji and Kirijo Mitsuru, these were the heads of the organizations about to formalize an allegiance, and the Phantoms were included, the teen was feeling the pressure of their presence.

Kurusu Akira could be the boss of the Phantom Thieves, a cocky leader who blazed paths in the Metaverse. But in the real world, he was a high-schooler, holding far less clout than these two figures who headed positions of power. _"_ _I did want to meet the boss of the SO, but I didn't expect it to be like this!"_ The Chief Prosecutor and the Founder of the Shadow Operatives, the boy felt like a tiny kitten facing a lion and a tigress. _"I only wanted information! Why did you drag me here?!"_ Naoto and Mikumo were watching the interactions from the peanut gallery, which didn't help his nerves. One was impassive, but the other had noticed his nerves and was offering a reassuring smile.

Mitsuru and Reiji let Akira know of their suspicions against a certain prodigy in the police force, urging him to join their efforts. "Akechi Goro..." The teen gritted his teeth, that guy had said all those things about the Phantoms and had the gall to put up that polite smile when they talked about the thieves during their eventual encounters. "This is hard to believe..." But if the things he heard were true, then he couldn't stay idle. "Let me thank you for helping my subordinates, especially with Kaneshiro." Mitsurugi had faith that his personnel could have uncovered those criminals, but even he welcomed an easier path, as long it didn't infringe on the law. "We need the aid of the Phantom Thieves to achieve our goal." "So, Kurusu... Will you ally with us?"


	41. Chapter 41

The pair of leaders faced the teen. "We'd like to have you as our ally, but you don't need to reply immediately." Akira had his head lowered, digesting the information he was given. "Sir and Madam, I and Naoto will patrol the area for eavesdroppers." Mikumo dragged her junior along to give them some privacy. "I'll take your offer." Despite the mental pressure, Akira had boldly accepted the request. "The Phantom Thieves were made to help people. So you can count with us." He heard that Kirijo would cover the costs of the gear and medical aids his group needed, whereas the prosecutor would direct his trusted personnel to obtain more data on the people backing Akechi.

"From preliminary analysis over the facts given by the news, there are corporations and politicians benefiting directly from the damage caused by these incidents." Even the Kirijo Group got mud splashed on them, as some lower-ranked employees under the CEO were affected negatively by acts done under the influence. "Whoever is giving orders, the real mastermind, they might be the one forcing the SO to stay stagnant under scrutiny..." The woman was rubbing her temples, feeling the migraine borne from stress from all the paperwork.

"And we cannot discard the possibility of this net having moles among the police and prosecutors..." Mitsurugi sighed, he'd need to be cautious about who to trust. "But Kurusu..." The seriousness in the prosecutor's voice made the teen straighten his back. "Your role is the riskiest. It would behoove you to avoid confronting that man too soon." Mitsurugi was fully aware that this conspiracy reached farther than they could imagine, and that himself was at danger of a psychotic episode. "We should check if you have a Shadow, perhaps Akechi can only affect you if you have one."

The redhead mulled over the matter. "That is something worthy of consideration, it's better to cover all the bases we can." Mitsurugi wrote down some names on his planner and handed over the page to the teen. "If some of these people do have Shadows, warn me before taking any action." The list ranged from prosecutors, like Karuma, to members of the police force, such as Badou. "By the way, I have one more thing to discuss with you, Kurusu." The teen gulped and faced the prosecutor. "Shirogane brought to my attention the fact you are under probation..." Akira got tense, was this impending bad news?

"Don't fret, I have no intentions to rebuke you. In fact, I plan to assign some people to look into the circumstances of your arrest and sentencing." He planned to penalize the prosecutor who had plotted against Kurusu if proof of foul play was uncovered. "Perhaps you can get a retrial and clean your name." There were signs of a cover-up in his case, much like Yuugami. "Sir... Thank you." Mitsurugi shook his head. "Your gratitude should be directed at Shirogane, she was the one who made the effort to obtain your criminal file and informed me." Akira got surprised, planning to thank the detective properly. "Now that things are settled, we should part ways for today."

**~Anyways, we're done here~**

Morgana looked at the teen with pride. "So you will help them? That's good to hear." Akira pinched his cheek, not caring about the protesting meowing. "Ditching me... You got some nerve..." "Mya-! Sorry! Pardon me!" Akira huffed as Morgana hastily preened his fur back to a pristine state. "The Phantom Thieves now have some strong allies. We'll need it, I can feel it." The cat could be amnesiac, but he knew it took effort and resources to topple those on high places and to dismantle the net of corruption that protected them. "We're on the side of justice and society, after all. Right, Morgana?" The cat purred contently, this group was developing nicely.

Kirijo had done good on the funds and recouped the expenses Akira had contracted with Iwai and Takemi, giving him some leeway for better supplies. Overall, his routine was normal, but Mikumo had given him a weird stare when they met one morning. "Are you using a maid service?" Akira flailed about, begging the detective to stay mum, he wanted to support his teacher, she looked like she had enough troubles. "Well... It's your money..." The teen was dismayed at the skeevy side-eye, and the glimpse of a grin forebode taunts in the future. "Don't worry, nobody will know. At least not from me, so be careful, 'kay?" The detective walked away with the face of a cat who was about to toy with a mouse.

Akira had engaged in some activities with his friends, such as people-watching with Yusuke and the Persona 'training' with Ann, it was a nice way to pass time when there weren't Palaces or Mementos targets to worry about. Ryuji even invited him to go fishing for a weekend. But there were also some things that made him worry, there was a coworker of Ann's who acted in a somewhat sickly sweet manner, it bordered on suspicious. And one of his confidants was starting to make him get apprehensive with how he was acting. _"Mishima is strange..."_ The teen also almost got in an argument with Sojiro with the callous way the man still treated him.

It was a regular day at Leblanc, some customers were having their drinks as the owner browbeat his tenant into working. "Put down that phone and earn your keep." Sojiro frowned when he saw that he had fewer supplies than he remembered. "Akira, go to the store and buy these things for me." The teen had just put on his apron and put up an annoyed expression that the elder returned with a stern face, daring him to complain. "Go, now." Akira mumbled under his breath, Sojiro had shoved the money and list on his hands and kicked him on his way, not giving him the chance to drop the apron and grab his bag. "Chop, chop, be fast."

The teen attracted odd looks with his apron, which only served to sour his mood. _"Damn geezer, couldn't it have waited a few minutes?"_ He purchased the stuff so Sojiro wouldn't have more reasons to nag and walked back to Leblanc, dropping the bags in the kitchen before grabbing his Mona bag and going upstairs. _"Are there any messages?"_ Akira sweated coldly when he noticed that his phone wasn't at the usual spot. "Akira? What's the matter?" Morgana watched as the teen ransacked his own room after the damn cellphone. "I'm sure I left it here or in my bag, where is it?" Sojiro popped up from the staircase with a frown. "Boy, stop making a racket. And you forgot this downstairs." The elder placed the phone close to the TV.

**~And... take care of yourself~**

The police force was on the field today due to the fireworks festival, tasked with keeping the order and prevent any ruckus from drunks who let themselves go because it was a festive day. Naoto pulled at her collar and fanned herself with the cap. "I told you, today is sweltering." Mikumo offered cold packs to stick to her neck. "Thanks for convincing me... my usual clothes would be baking me." The pair of detectives only had dress shirts on, ditching the coat, and light-colored pants. "Hair tie?" The junior took the band and made a ponytail. "Damn... couldn't they have pushed this for a cooler day?"

Mikumo was still sweating despite standing in the shade and using a hand fan. She pulled a bottle from her bag and took a few swigs. "And the weather prediction was iffy... it seems that there's a chance of raining..." Naoto peeked inside the tote bag and saw rain gear. "Always prepared, I see." Mikumo groaned under the heat. "I do hope it rains, I feel like I'm in a sauna..." The woman cursed at her cat back home, the furball surely had gotten his grubby paws on the AC control and was enjoying the tech while laying on a plush pillow. "How long until the fireworks...?" Naoto checked her watch.

"A few minutes, it seems that it will begin at dusk." The older detective sighed, their job forced them to stay on watch until this crowd dispersed. "If there's a god listening, make it pour, please." Naoto sighed at the dramatics, but even she began praying for a respite from the heatwave. _"Are those storm clouds?"_ She looked up, it was mostly clear skies, but there was a clump approaching from the distance, and she thought she saw some bolt flashes in them. _"If they do come, the festival will have to be canceled."_ Oh well, what happens, happens.

"Oi... Ain't those the kids? I think I saw Makoto." Mikumo pointed to a spot in the gaggle, having caught blond hair and familiar faces. "Yeah, that one's Akira, and there's Ann." Mikumo lost interest and flopped against the bench, waiting for the festival's end. "The fireworks are quite pretty... I'd enjoy the sight if I wasn't melting in my clothes..." Mikumo got up and began walking to a store. "Let's get something cold, I can't take it anymore..." Naoto felt a droplet hit her face, it was starting to rain. "Hurry up, or we'll get caught!" The older female squawked with a start when she ran past and entered the place.

"Whoa, that was a close shave." Mikumo peered out of the glass doors as it began raining cats and dogs. "Hm, there they are." Naoto popped her head from the snack aisle. "What?" "The brats. They look like wet socks, let's get some towels for them." The gang was pleasantly surprised to see the detectives and the bag of clean towels. "Here, you all are a mess." Akira felt a twitch at the smirk, despite knowing she wasn't intending to provoke. "Thanks." As the teens dried themselves before entering the store, the adults put on their raincoats. "I'll be going first. Take care on your way home, 'kay?"

When Naoto began leaving as well, Akira asked for her to wait a little longer. "Ah... Are you free this Sunday?" She got confused but nodded. "Great. Well, I guess it's goodbye for now?" "Until next time, bye." Once the detective was out of earshot, Morgana popped his head out from the bag. "Mwehehe, that wasn't the most gallant way to ask for a date, you know?" Akira pressed hard on his head to scold him. "It's not a date, I just want to thank her for doing something for me." The damn cat had the balls to face him with a smirk. "Su~re. This Sunday, eh? I guess I'll go investigate Mementos then." Akira stopped arguing, going inside to buy an umbrella to get home.

**~ **They'll keep you safe** ~**

Fuuka was chatting with Alibaba while smiling, it was nice to meet another person with similar interests, despite the initial shock. _"They got really surprised when I tracked them down."_ The person on the other side of the net used unorthodox methods to conceal themselves from the targets, but Fuuka also had her own experience to counter that. [What are your thoughts on the Phantom Thieves?] Fuuka raised a brow at the question. [I think they are helping society, there are people that even the law can't reach easily.] There was a period when Alibaba didn't pitch back, making the woman get curious with the objective behind this chat.

[Do you think they can change someone dead in life?] This was an alarming statement. _"Why do I have a bad feeling?!"_ Fuuka attempted to coax more information from Alibaba, indirectly aiming at the problem lurking beneath. [Do you mean to say you know someone who needs help?] The wait before getting a reply was whittling her nerves raw. [I don't know if I can be saved.] The woman swallowed dryly, recalling her own isolation years ago. [I found them, maybe they can take my rotten heart.] With this last reply, the chat was shut down from their side. "Alibaba... what's happening with you...?"


	42. Chapter 42

The Phantoms were paying attention to the news broadcast, it was currently detailing a hacktivist group who was calling out the thieves on their acts. _"Who they think they are to spout that garbage...?"_ Naoto and Mikumo frowned at the large screen displaying their logo, the older female kicked a can with frustration. "What the fuck is this?!" Ryuji had dropped Ann's shopping bags, but she didn't scold him, too fixated on the TV inside the store. _"This is bad news..."_ Makoto and Yusuke had been on their shopping trips when the jumbo screen reported the threats from the hackers. The Medjed group had sent those who saw their announcement into a state of worry.

"Kirijo..." Two women were watching the screen in the office, brows knitted together at what it promised for the future. **"We are Medjed. We are unseen. We will eliminate evil."** Mitsuru narrowed her eyes at the bold remarks from Medjed and turned to her fellow SO. "Yamagishi, track them down, those vermin are messing with the wrong target." The petite female nodded and set off to her duty. _"Kurusu, what will you do?"_ Then the CEO thought of what Fuuka had said about Alibaba. _"Could we attract them to our side... Can the Phantoms help them?"_ She reached for the phone.

 _"So they are the ones Mishima told me about..."_ Akira had been washing plates as Sojiro bemoaned the stirring caused by the Phantoms, the boat was being rocked too often for his liking. Once the elder left the place, the teen glared at the TV. _"Akechi..."_ The bastard was throwing mud at the Phantoms once again, blaming them for the ruckus caused by Medjed, only ceasing his grimace at a ringtone. _"Eh, unknown number?"_ "Who is?" **{Kirijo. Kurusu, I have a request.}** "What is it about?" **{You heard of Medjed, correct?}** "Yes, why?" **{I feel that we will need Alibaba's help.}** "What? Who? Why?"

The woman gave him some information about Medjed and the hacker. **{I fear Medjed will perform a virtual attack.}** Akira gulped, having seen past news of spyware and ransomware and the ensuing damage. **{Yamagishi is sure that Alibaba will request the Phantom Thieves to steal their own heart.}** Now the teen was utterly lost, why would someone desire such a thing upon themselves? **{If they contact you, I ask you to help them.}** Akira asked for more details. "Do you even know if this guy is in Tokyo?" Kirijo spelled out an address. "Are you sure...?" **{That's the physical location of the IP.}** "Got it, I will try to convince Alibaba to help us."

**~Somethin' fishy is still goin' down...~**

A pair of females was at Crossroads, one was swirling around her cocktail with disinterest as her friend checked her phone. "So... When is Mikumo going to arrive?" Rise was getting bored and Naoto wasn't getting replies. "I don't know, the last message is from about an hour ago." They heard someone enter the bar and a man with a bright smile sat down by them. "Hey there, beauties, looking for a good time?" His hazel eyes had a daring glint. "We are waiting for someone." Naoto glared at the clueless flirt. "Come on, give me just one chance, 'kay?"

Now Rise joined the effort to make this man scram. "That seat's reserved, and we aren't interested." But the man didn't look disheartened, his face showed amusement. "Haha... Pft..." The guy reached for his face. _"Are those contacts?"_ "Pfft... you didn't figure it... haha..." His voice had turned quite feminine and that green shade startled them. "Mikumo?!" The detective tried to stifle her giggles as she wiped the make-up that disguised her features. "I did say I was a top-class infiltrator." Rise got surprised at her voice range. "You have to teach me how to do that!" Mikumo grinned at the idol. "It's not going to be easy, 'kay?"

Naoto shook her head with slight amusement as the pair chatted eagerly. "So... about Medjed...?" The trio got gloomy faces, knowing that shit was about to hit the fan. "Kirijo said she's dealing with it, they have Yamagishi and resources, after all." Rise sighed, it was frustrating to know that your team was in risk, yet you were unable to take any kind of action. "So we can only wait..." Mikumo grabbed some snacks and crunched on them with a grimace. "Anonymous enemies are the worst..." Makoto had come to her to ask if she knew anything about that group after failing with her sister. "I bet the kids are cracking their heads to find a solution."

**~I ain't really one to talk~**

A door with several stickers clicked shut and the lock was on. "Let's see what the Outside is doing now." The PC's screen flashed with news from all over Tokyo, Okumura Foods had closed another deal, the Tokyo's Ninja had taken down another robber, the police was still investigating the strange epidemy of psychosis, same old, same old. "Maybe that guy will do something interesting." The girl adjusted the headset and checked the spy app from the tenant's phone. **{... Yamagishi... Alibaba...}** She frowned, pushing back her glasses, this conversation wasn't to her liking. "Kirijo... how involved are you?"

Medjed had challenged those thieves, making her twist her nose with distaste. _"Damn fakers..."_ Maybe she's do something about them if the fancy hit her. "I bet those guys are acting like headless chickens, mwehehe..." Then Fuuka pinged her with a message. [Alibaba, are you serious about contacting the Phantoms?] The Kirijo employee was a good conversation buddy, but she wouldn't be swayed away from her decision. [Yes.] How was the woman on the other side reacting at this? She was taking too long to reply. _"Too bad I couldn't bug that detective... Meh, better leave sleeping beasts alone."_ It would be like having a sloth attempt to poke a jaguar, too risky for little to no gain.

Still, the tenant was a weirdo, there was a moment when he could only be speaking with the cat, as she had heard Sojiro bark some orders earlier then there was the noise of someone going upstairs. _"And the cat seemed to be talking back."_ She hoped this wasn't a losing bet, Kurusu Akira was her one lead to perhaps mend together the pieces of her fragile state of mind. _"Mom..."_ She gritted her teeth and shook her head, fleeing from those memories. _"I don't live with them anymore! I'm Sakura Futaba now!"_ But she knew, by locking herself in this room, she was alone with her inner fears. _"This plan has to work..."_

**~I honestly thought it was some kinda joke~**

As he wandered through Tokyo, Akira wondered what was going on with Sojiro, as Makoto's sister was badgering him for some reason, but his attempts to get answers were smacked away. _"You should know better by now..."_ The teen clicked his tongue, he could contact Badou and ask him if the geezer had any complaints filed against him. _"Or I could tell Mitsurugi about Niijima..."_ He frowned, why was Sojiro so stubborn? _"I just want to help."_ And there was the strange man who surely was extorting money from Sojiro. _"Geezer, what the heck did you do get those two after you?"_

He passed by a church and decided to check the place, spotting a feral man playing shogi against a girl his age. "Heh, girlie, you are good. But a pack doesn't give up easily." Akira squinted at the board, they seemed about even with the number of pieces facing each other. "It may be so, Mister Rou, but you are no match for my Golden General." Akira took a seat to watch the match. "Aiya... You got sharp fangs..." The man scratched his chin as he planned the next move. "Hn, go on." She looked confident of herself. "Don't taunt the wolf, girlie..." As the game sped up, Akira struggled to follow it as both players snatched enemy pieces and promoted their own.

Somehow it ended with the girl's victory as the man huffed in defeat. "Aiya... I won't lose the next match." He left the church, giving Akira a window of time to get her attention. "Are you the shogi player, Togo?" She looked up as she replaced the pieces. "Yes...? Can I help you?" The thief wondered if she had some tactics that could be applied to the Metaverse and asked to be her apprentice, although he had to use some of his charms to try and convince her. "I saw you play against the werewolf." The girl covered her amused smile. "I want to learn to be as good as you."

They started a match, under the condition that he played as fast as the man did, and it was damn fast. _"The way she talks..."_ Hifumi was crushing him, as expected of a pro, but he cringed at her delusions. "The dragon which governs the blue sky has fallen into my hands." He had eerie flashes of Yusuke's obsessive way of talking about art. _"Are people from Kosei all nutjobs?"_ He then wondered if Hifumi did know Yusuke. _"I so don't want to see them talking together."_ But if there was one thing he could be sure of: those two were maniacs for their chosen fields. "Urgh... I concede..." Hifumi decided to instruct him, but he would be her sounding board for new strategies as compensation.

**~You should be grateful~**

Once Sunday came by, Morgana made himself scarce, leaving Akira alone for his date. "Shuddup, cat!" The teen huffed and checked the time. _"She should_ _already_ _be there."_ He got away before Sojiro trapped him with work and found Naoto with her motorcycle by the avenue. "Hey there." She looked up as Akira approached her. "Here." She handed over a helmet and asked where he wanted to go. "I think a park would be the best option." She nodded and searched for a place that was close by and without jammed traffic on the way. "Get on, and hold on." She might not be Rise-level, but the bike was potent and he almost fell with the start.

The pair wandered idly through the beaten pathways, chatting about his studies and her work, briefly touching on the Medjed matter. "The guys are scrambling after any info on them, but Kirijo told me she's working on it and mentioned an 'Alibaba'." Naoto mused over what she heard as they crossed a bridge. "Yamagishi should be able to deal with it. But for someone to request a change on themselves..." How troubled was Alibaba? "Oh, well... We can't do anything until this guy pops up..." Akira leaned on the railing and stared at the water. "And what about your celebration?" He shrugged, the group hadn't reached a consensus of where to go yet.

He faced Naoto directly, making her curious. "Thank you." He felt a bit stilted, but it was done. "What for?" Akira blustered, she didn't figure it by herself? "Uh... well, Mitsurugi told me what you did, like digging into my case... ah, and appealing to him for me... You didn't need-" She signed for him to stay quiet. "Akira." Naoto smiled at his flailing about, he felt a bit silly for overreacting. "I did promise to help you, remember? You should have seen this coming." He rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Haha... I guess you're right." Then he stopped to think, Ryuji was really wrong in saying all adults were trash. _"They can do things we can't..."_

"So, is there anything troubling you?" Akira lowered his eyes. "Sojiro." Naoto waited for him to elaborate. "Niijima seems to think he knows something, he tells me there's nothing wrong... And Alibaba most probably lives with him." He twitched when his phone buzzed with incoming messages. "It's Alibaba." The pair read the questions from the unknown sender. [Let's make a deal.] Akira frowned, steal a heart in exchange of having Medjed dealt with... If Kirijo wanted him to help this hacker, then their skills should be top-notch. "Grr... I can't send a reply..." The thieves frowned, Alibaba seemed intent on being the one leading the negotiations.

"This prick... Tch-!" They could only wait for the next contact from the hacker. "I'll warn the others, in case this guy contacts them too." Naoto mused about his worries, intending on doing a background check. "I'll look into him, maybe I can get Alibaba's real name." Akira nodded. "That will help. But damn... I never thought things would go this way." Then the detective frowned, thinking hard before asking to see his phone. "Here." Akira watched as she tried to find something suspicious. "Naoto?" She pointed out a file. "Do you remember downloading this app?" He shook his head. "It's spyware, I bet they are listening to us right now."

The girl almost jumped from her seat at what she heard. _"Holy crap, how did she figure it so fast?!"_ She adjusted her glasses and the headset, she had underestimated the detective. **{If you're wondering, I have some expertise with tech.}** _"It's no wonder you got that title, then..."_ **{And Kirijo might want a word with you for your snooping around in her archives.}** Alibaba began sweating bullets, she was a beast in the net, but out here in the real world, she was a puny existence. **{Stop acting scary, Naoto. But don't worry, we'll help you.}** Kurusu was strange, promising something to someone he didn't even know, heck, he wasn't even sure if she was listening. _"Can the Phantoms make a miracle happen? I hope so."_


	43. Chapter 43

The teenage thieves wondered who was Alibaba and how they had gotten a hold of Akira's phone. "How were we found out?" The leader explained that his phone was bugged, that's why he left it at Leblanc before coming to the meeting. "I already got our detectives looking into it." Makoto raised a brow. "But how could they find a hacker? The internet is difficult to investigate, right?" He smirked, making his team curious. "Remember the sponsor Strix and the others found? They found out where Alibaba lives." Ryuji demanded to know it. "Not yet, I want to confirm it before we go throwing accusations or assuming things." Akira expected to receive some messages when he returned home.

Morgana knitted his brows together at what he was hearing. "What does this all mean?" Ann did her best to explain to him concisely. "... I still don't get it..." They decided to trust their leader and wait before acting. "Wouldn't it be great to get the guy on our side?" Ryuji didn't want to keep relying on Mishima for virtual stuff. "We should wait until their identity gets confirmed." Yusuke frowned, he'd dislike it very much if Alibaba turned out to be a criminal. "And I wonder about the 'prepared the necessary tool' part... It makes no sense." Akira shuffled his feet, he was also bothered by that statement. "... I'm tired of standing around, let's go to Leblanc, it's almost closing hours."

Sojiro was holding some mail and handed an envelope to Akira, asking about the crowd behind him. "We are making plans for the summer." The man squinted at Makoto, she felt somewhat familiar, prompting her to present herself. "Niijima...? Hn, a student council president? I hope this bunch isn't too much for you." He got ready to leave after giving his own name. "You can call me Boss. I'll leave you kids be. Don't mess up the cafe." As the band talked about what they wanted to do during the holidays, the news announced that Medjed was moving again, having posted a notice on their own site.

The organization threatened any vocal supporter of the Phantoms with the confiscation of their possessions. Bank accounts and personal data were the most likely targets. _"Can Alibaba really deal with them alone?"_ Akira felt that this hacker was a bit too cocky. "Let's see what this mail is about." It had no return address and contained a card similar to the one they used to announce heists. "Maybe Alibaba thinks this is all we need to steal a heart." Akira was now very sure that the hacker lived in the area, the mail must have been dropped directly in the box. "All we can do for is to wait for more orders." With this, the leader ended today's meet.

Akira had received some more messages from Alibaba in the following days, receiving the name 'Sakura Futaba' as the target. Morgana had frowned when the hacker refused to give more details and grew suspicious of Sojiro, assuming that the elder was hiding something serious. "You should investigate it as well, Akira. Maybe you can get intel by asking around Yongen?" The teen figured it wouldn't hurt to supplement any info the detectives could dig up, but the only thing his questioning of the neighborhood managed to achieve was to create even more questions, as the duo heard that Sojiro _perhaps_ had someone living with him. "So Aliba- Futaba does live with him?" Akira crossed his arms and stared at the Sakura household. "I guess we have to find a way to enter. Maybe Makoto can make a good excuse."

**~Our deal's through with~**

Naoto had asked Badou to look into Sojiro, figuring the man would have an easier time finding the files. "If you can't find me, tell Mikumo what you discovered." He accepted the request, he had already planned to take the day to deal with paperwork, some more wouldn't make a difference. "Take care out there... and watch out for that Medjed stuff..." He sighed, longing briefly for the easier times of his youth. _"Madarame's and Kaneshiro's cases were put on hold..."_ He huffed like a tired horse, conspirations were too annoying to deal with. _"I hope Mitsurugi knows what he is asking from us."_ The young detective then went to inquire Yuugami if he had heard anything from Niijima that sounded off.

"Now that you mentioned it..." The prosecutor recalled some passing comments. "I heard that she is after intel on someone called Isshiki Wakaba, apparently she was a government researcher, the subject... It was cognitive psience." That was a venue she'd have to explore, perhaps Kirijo would have some information. "Tsk... Niijima is attempting to move some resources, sadly I only managed to discover that it involves the civil court." Naoto frowned at this snippet. "That means family matters..." Yuugami stared at the detective, recalling his chief's directives. "I know not what you plan. Just don't cause a mess." After contacting every possible source of information, Naoto checked the time and decided to pass by Leblanc.

 _"I might get a chance to speak with him as well..."_ It was about time for school to end, and she could check the neighborhood for informants. Sojiro barely paid much attention as she got seated at the last booth, bringing her usual coffee. "Here, the curry is on the way." The woman sipped the drink and watched as Teddie got in a row with Yosuke for 'stealing' his potential girlfriends. [Ble~h! Don't blame this silky smooth swag for your pawful charm!] There was a selfie with the blond grinning tauntingly. [You wot mate?! Come to the gas station! I'll beat a lesson on yo ass!] She and the others in the chat ignored the pair of idiots. [So, how're your thieving escapades going?]

The former Investigation Team was interested in what Rise and Naoto were up to with the Phantom Thieves, too bad their own jobs made it hard to just up and come to Tokyo. _"... Begone, intrusive thoughts."_ But it was hard, she kept picturing Yukiko with a hyotokko mask. _"Stiff face..."_ She heard the door ring, but the noise was of heels instead of sneakers, so she checked with her phone camera. _"Niijima..."_ The woman mentioned a letter sent to Sojiro, it sounded like a subpoena. "Your parental authority will have to be suspended." Again she heard the name Wakaba. The detective got irritated with what she heard Niijima spout, threatening Sojiro with the courts, slamming a fist on the table and getting up.

"So that's what they meant with 'rotten prosecutors'..." Her eyes were like ice as she glared at the foe. "Shirogane? This doesn't concern you." Naoto snorted with disdain. "Mikumo was right... you're the kind of person I'd strongly disagree with." Niijima was starting to get incensed at the aggressive stance. "Detectives should know their place, stay away from my business." The woman could be small before the prosecutor, but she wouldn't back off at this injustice. "A high and mighty law agent threatening a cafe owner? You must have too much free time." Sojiro slowly stepped into his kitchen as those women began closing on each other, the tension was practically palpable by now. _"Just go home..."_

Akira had come to check on the situation after hearing the angry voices from upstairs, but he wisely chose to take cover behind the handrail, it was like hearing his mother talk about someone she hated. _"Calm anger is the most terrifying type..."_ Morgana was trembling in his mittens at the level of irritation in their retorts, it would have been better to have a short screaming match instead. _"Females are scary..."_ A phone rang and Naoto held up a hand to answer, pissing off Niijima. "Understood, I'll be there. ... Sorry to cut short this _nice_ chat, but duty calls. I should mention your behavior to the Chief Prosecutor, I'm sure he won't be amused." The woman glared at the door after Naoto left, clearly angry as she stomped out of Leblanc.

**~You did that and then some~**

Next day, in the training gun range~ Nobody dared to poke the pile of live wiring that was Naoto as she gunned down the mock-ups. "Girl, easy on the targets. ... You turned that one into confetti..." Mikumo looked at the pile of spent casings on the floor and her face twitched, she must have been shooting for almost an hour. "Oy, lower that gun for a sec and come with me." The older female stared at her junior until she relented. "I heard from Akira. Niijima is a twat, right?" Naoto passed ahead what she heard yesterday. "Yeah... he'd be screwed in court. And Uncle found some darned things... Complaints from a family called Isshiki, he's in deep shit."

The senior detective got covertly asked to take Naoto away so they could fix the place for tomorrow. "Let's get some fresh air, you need it." The rookie was still fuming at how Niijima had lorded her legal power over Sojiro. "Isn't there some way to help him without causing too much trouble?" Mikumo hummed as she traced a plan. "Hey there." The duo spotted two of the teen thieves. "Is there a problem?" Makoto and Akira approached the pair of detectives. "Yanno, I got worried at those accusations of abuse..." The leader wanted to dispel that image of his host and wanted their help. "Let's check Sojiro's house, we can say you were escorting us, just in case."

Mikumo tested the gate, seeing how the door was cracked slightly open. "Unlocked. ... Chief, your orders?" She turned to face Akira. "Hm? It's starting to rain!" Morgana jumped off from Akira's bag and darted inside the house. "Damn cat!" The group followed the critter inside. "Lights, lights..." The older detective patted the wall until she found a light switch, revealing a simple hallway with stairs going up and some doors. "Futaba? Sojiro? Morgana?" Nobody replied, there were only the noises of rainfall and thunder. "Strange, there's a TV on in that room- Oh, a blackout." The detectives pulled penlights to scan the area. "Hm?"

Naoto held on Akira's arm, a dark house looked dreary. "I think I heard a scream!" They wondered what to do now, seeing how the cat was somewhere in the unlit household. "Did you hear that...?!" Makoto jumped and got closer to Mikumo. "Hey... can I hold your hand?" "Eh? 'Kay- ow...!" To the detective, it felt like a vice grip. _"She got it almost as bad as Reiji..."_ Akira looked around. "I can feel someone besides us..." The girl was trembling in her skirt by this point. "W... who...?" She looked at the stairway just when lightning flashed, there was someone there and those glasses looked eerie. "KYAAA!" Her scream spooked the stranger away and startled the other three.

"Hey, Mako-Oof-!" Mikumo grunted under the sudden weight as the girl jumped on her arms, almost strangling the woman by hugging her neck, and Akira grimaced under the unholy grip on his arm from Naoto's fright. "Are you OK, Futaba!?" The quartet was like deers on headlights when Sojiro barged in and shone a flashlight on them. "Um... hey there?" Akira was cold sweating at the situation they got themselves in. "... You...? What are you doing in my house?" Mikumo was temporarily unavailable, attempting to calm down Makoto as she muttered gibberish. "... The door was open. We thought a robber got in." Naoto nudged Akira for him to join in the bullshit.

He gulped and scratched his head. "Yeah, those two were escorting us because they heard a thief was skulking around." The man sighed, figuring he had forgotten to close up properly. "Guess I'm getting old." Sojiro stared at the woman patting the Niijima girl on the back like a baby. "There, there... You're safe..." _"And heavy."_ Once Makoto was calm enough to stand, she asked about the girl she saw. "You must have seen my daughter." Mikumo rubbed her sore back. "Futaba, correct? Hngh-! I heard Niijima talk about it." Makoto asked to meet the girl to apologize for the fright. "About that..." Sojiro grimaced and asked the group to follow him to Leblanc. "I guess I have to explain some things..."

"I'm feeling some déjà vu... I think I know what's going on." The detectives spoke in hushed tones as they followed Sojiro. "It's a recent case, Sanagi Hiruneria." Naoto frowned and Mikumo pursed her lips. "I think the girl has a degree of agoraphobia, quite severe as well." Akira heard their conversation, it explained how nobody in the neighborhood knew of Futaba. _"No wonder Sojiro got accused of abuse."_ And he recalled Kirijo mention 'rotten heart' during one call, that was how Futaba saw herself. _"Who knows what kind of trauma she has."_ As the group settled in the cafe, Sojiro sighed at what he was about to disclose. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea."


	44. Chapter 44

The quartet faced Sojiro as he gathered his wits to tell the tale. "I and her mother were old acquaintances..." He sighed at the memories. "She truly was a great woman." From what he told them, she was some kind of researcher and had raised Futaba alone, Sojiro had no idea of who the father could be. "If you saw her, you'd see how much she loved Futaba..." The silence was suffocating. "Did she die...?" Akira glanced at the females, all of them had lost their parents as well, but Mikumo had a baleful glare hidden by her bangs. "... Suicide." The older detective clicked her tongue at that, her instincts furiously refused the idea. "She jumped into the traffic, in front of her daughter..."

Naoto began messing with her tie, recalling her own past. "She was depressed... But I managed to have her open up to me, even if a little..." Makoto had a bad feeling at Sojiro's frown. "She blames herself for her mother's death. But she never told me why..." The senior detective began cracking her knuckles, Reiji had been in a similar state of mind years ago. Also, the girl was experiencing bouts of fear, despite the lack of threats, she had gotten to the point she hallucinated seeing her mother. Sojiro had tried to help Futaba by taking her to specialists, but she wouldn't let herself be helped. "She became a shut-in." Her world was her room, a place even Sojiro was forbidden from entering.

"There's a lot I don't get about her." And the girl was the reason Akira lived in the cafe's attic. "I wanted to provide her with a safe place." The thieves took in the revelations after Sojiro left, Futaba wanted to break free from her self-made prison. But she was unable to take the first step, turning to the Phantoms to see if they could break her walls from within. "'If I had never been born...' 'I shouldn't have asked for more...' 'I killed her with my selfishness...'" Everybody stared at Mikumo with alarm. "I bet these are the thoughts she holds. It's not uncommon, considering what happened." The mood was somber, nobody knew how to react. "But I got an idea to help them, 'kay?"

Akira inputted the girl's name and her location, getting a hit from the Metanav. "Damn... It seems this will be our next target..." Makoto frowned, trying to understand how Futaba could have a Palace. "... I think it's similar to what happened in Inaba." Naoto shook her head as she thought of the TV World, the group was curious to hear what she had to tell. "Most of my group had to be rescued from our Shadows, myself included. My Shadow... It was my self-loathing personified. The side I wanted to hide from society." The teens grimaced at the idea, Futaba should be in quite a severe state of mind to have a Palace. "Haah... Let's all take a day to think... I and Makoto will talk with the others." This potential operation would target an innocent, so they would need to ponder about it with clear heads.

**~One more thing...~**

Mikumo heard of the process the sourpuss prosecutor intended to open and used its looming presence to her advantage. One of the details that she wanted to straighten out was about the mental state of the kid in Sojiro's care, so she planned to get an accurate idea of how his household was like. "Mreow?" She shoved Sissel back into the bag as she mounted the motorbike. "Time to go get her." The man was most likely under pressure, she felt a smidgen bad for abusing of this fact, but it was a necessary evil. "And it's for the sake of fighting Medjed as well." She only hoped this wouldn't backfire on her face.

A beleaguered attorney was stunned at the latest stunt from his daughter. "Einspruch! Stop this madness! Boss ¡ayúdame!" Minuki was about to saw the box with Kokone inside when the door got slammed open, Mikumo was heaving like a marathonist. "I need a psych professional!" The young attorney almost cried tears of joy as the magician pouted, this practice session was cut short and her guinea pig was free to go. "Catch!" The detective hurled a helmet to the assistant as she dashed back to her vehicle. "Hey, hey! Time-out, what do I have to do?" Kokone was curious about the job. "I need you to check a kid, get on, we're burning daylight."

Mikumo explained to Sojiro about Kokone. "Dunno... Barging in Futaba's haven is a bit..." He was hesitant to accept the request. "Please, sir... Just one more attempt, that's all I ask." The pair stood before the locked door as the detective knocked on it. "Go away." The attorney winced at the static flooding her ears. "Girl, I only want you to meet someone, open the door... Sorry in advance." Mikumo got tired of waiting and picked the lock, shoving Kokone inside before Futaba could react and stood outside to not interfere. "Just talk to her. It's for the sake of your project as well." The woman wondered what the detective was talking about and looked at the girl hunched in front of the PC.

"¿Hola? I'm Kizuki Kokone. And you?" A message popped in the computer's screen. [Alibaba.] _"Merde- The static..."_ The attorney looked around the room to get a conversation theme. "Oh, a pyramid, where did you buy it?" There was some shuffling. [It's something I got from my mom... she wanted to see them in person...] Kokone had gotten some details from Mikumo on the way here. "Je vois... I also have a gift from my mother that I treasure. See this earring?" Her mission was only to make Futaba more receptive to future conversations, but she had faltered a bit when the girl had said this room was her tomb. _"Dead in life, maybe it's..."_ Mikumo listened in from behind the door, tapping out some messages.

**~Our deal's through with~**

Ryuji yawned, the speech from the principal was goddamn boring. "And right in the middle of our break..." Morgana revealed one of the venues Futaba used to discover their identities. "It seems that she hid microphones in Leblanc." Akira then relayed what Sojiro had shared with him yesterday. "This Futaba girl really got it rough..." Ann was shocked to hear that someone could hold a Palace without being as rotten as the previous Rulers. "Would you say that Strix or Muse are evil?" The other teens got shocked at the implication, those two had been in similar positions to their current target? "N... no...?" Makoto had thought over what she knew of the Metaverse and what Naoto had revealed.

"Strix said that this might be a case where the Ruler has repressed a part of themselves." Morgana also repeated the fact that being evil wasn't a requirement, a heart warped by desires or strong emotions was the main component. "Shade thinks it's a case of self-hatred caused by her pain." The cat sighed, bringing up the possibility that the hallucinations were a byproduct of the Metaverse's distortions. "So... will we steal her heart?" The group had been requested to do so by the target herself, and this time it was to save her from her own pain. "But do keep in mind that this Palace may be wildly different from previous cases, seeing how the person wishes for it."

The thieves now wondered about how to enter the Palace proper. "But what could be the last keyword?" A phone buzzed, startling Akira. [I think that the last word is 'pyramid' or something like that, maybe 'tomb' can work too, it holds some meaning for Futaba.] The leader felt a bad taste in his mouth, a place dedicated for the dead... "Shade sent me the last piece, I guess. Just let me contact the others before we enter the Palace." [SORRY, BUT I WAS CALLED FOR AN INVESTIGATION.] [Next time, the SOB director wants a re-shoot.] [Wait a bit, 'kay? I brought someone to talk with Futaba. They're almost done.] Once Mikumo said the coast was clear, the Phantoms went to the house in hopes of landing close to the Palace.

**~Take this a little more seriously~**

Mikumo saw the teens arrive from the second floor. "Let's get the show on the road." The Metanav was activated, making the landscape turn into a desert, but she felt a strange pit in her stomach. "What the f-" Mikumo landed on her face, getting a mouthful of sand, as Sissel had a suave landing on her head. "A desert...? At least my motorcycle is here too..." The woman spat and hacked out the grains then lifted it off the sand. _"I see something in that direction, maybe it's the Palace."_ She was baking under the sun, so she made haste to the landmark. _"Gh...! It burns...!"_ The hot winds with sand stung her face, but the cat had taken shelter under her coat.

Mikumo spotted another dust cloud. _"There they are!"_ She grinned and sped up, catching up with the van and waving at the passengers. "What the hell?!" Ryuji dropped his jaw once he saw exactly who was Shade. The older detective made a taunting face at Makoto, striking a nerve. "Wanna race?!" Ann grinned at the idea. "Step on it!" The females were fanning themselves as they faced the pyramid, why did Futaba have an entire desert as her Palace? "Damn... at least we didn't need to face a storm..." All the males were covertly appreciating the eye-candy, the detective had taken off her coat and the females' tops were- "Mrrow."

"YEOWCH-!" A plank swung about and struck the gawkers on the back of their heads. "What's the matter?" Ann and Makoto were worried, seeing how the guys were rubbing the pained spot. "What's with that cat...? Bastard..." Sissel snorted at Ryuji and just groomed his fur, making the blond surer that he was the culprit for the smack, somehow. "He's my partner, so don't pick a fight with him, 'kay?" The cat made a defiant snarl at Ryuji as if asking for a scuffle. _"Are all cats little dipshits?"_ The thieves then climbed the staircase into the tomb, unwilling to spend another second under the unrelenting sun.

"I wonder what we will find inside..." The air inside the pyramid was cooler and their clothing was still unchanged. "Hm, maybe she doesn't feel threatened. This is her house, after all." The path was quite straightforward, despite the pits and steep stairs. "Man, how long until we get to the end?" "Don't jinx us, be glad we aren't being attacked." Sissel stiffened, making Mikumo curious. "Hey, is that... Futaba?" The Shadow had the garbs ripped from an 'Ancient Egypt movie', not reacting to their presence. But once the teens tried to question her about the Treasure- "Why have you invaded my tomb, plunderers?" The detective stepped back at the tone.

"Oi! YOU asked us to steal your heart!" The Ruler faced Ryuji with opaque eyes. "Then feel free to try." Morgana's ears twitched at something. "There are people here...?" The thieves looked around to locate the voices they heard. The Shadow reacted with fear once the voices became louder. "The hallucinations!" Futaba had a resigned face as she faded, admitting her perceived guilt. "A roar?!" A quake-like tremor rumbled through the hall. "I will remain here... until I die..." Once the Ruler was gone, the thieves found themselves geared up. "Even if the real Futaba wants this, her heart won't collaborate..."

Queen reasoned that the girl was unstable, which translated into the Palace's strange state. "Still, we have to finish this- OW! SISSEL!" The cat looked up and Shade paled. "RUN! BOULDER!" The thieves had escaped by sheer luck, but now the staircase was blocked by a hefty door. "Shit... this place is lashing out at us..." Joker sighed, this Palace surely would be a pain to explore, now that the Ruler got in a defensive mood. "Let's call a day... Maybe we'll have to find another entry point..." Nobody protested, the killer boulder was enough persuasion to make them leave for now.


	45. Chapter 45

Ann wondered what today's modeling session would be about, seeing how the studio was in a hubbub about a special guest with Mika as the highlight, and she had been requested by Mika to be there as well. "Do you have any idea, Akira?" He shrugged, but he suspected there was a scheme. "Well, how do we get to the Sky Tower?" Neither knew exactly, so he tried sending a message to Rise to get directions. [What a coincidence, I have to go there as well. Wait at XX street, my ride will pass there, you can hitch with me.] Ann got excited at the prospect of meeting Muse for real now that she knew Shade, only Strix was technically unknown.

The teens gawked at the limo that pulled up by them. "What are these faces for? Get in." Ann was making puppy eyes at Rise as the chauffeur drove to the Sky Tower. "R-Risette! I'm a fan! This is- Oh gods..." Akira cringed a little at the flailing from the blonde, but the woman didn't seem to mind it. "There's no need to be this formal, Panth- Oh right, Ann." This served to calm the girl a few pegs and start chatting. "So you are the special guest? What an honor, to be in the same article as Risette." The idol was pleasantly surprised to get to know the model, the girl reminded her of her starting years in the show-biz.

Akira then remembered something he saw in the net. "By the way, are those rumors about you starring in a movie true?" Rise smiled at the question. "Maybe, I'm not one for spoilers. Ann, you should put on nicer clothes, I heard there might not be extras to change into there." She asked Ann for her measures. "Hm, maybe some of mine might fit." She made the driver stop for a few minutes, fetch some spare pieces from the trunk, and let Ann change inside the limo while covering Akira's eyes. "There, now you're ready for the cameras!" The girl loved the floral sundress and the light blue blazer. "Today may be hot, but the winds up there can be quite chilly."

The male was acting like a pack mule for the twittering pair as they climbed the tower until the floor of the photoshoot. "I get what you mean, it's fun to tweak recipes. I love trying to bake simple pastries at home." Akira only prayed the blonde wouldn't take the idol's advising, Naoto had been adamant to highlight how she loved to overseason with pepper. _"Lava food, brr..."_ They were received by the rising model, but Rise felt something in the air, Mika was looking at Ann with a smug sense of superiority. "The theme of today's shoot is 'the elegance of woman'." The idol got irked at the disdainful look aimed at the blonde.

"Come with me for a sec." Rise dragged Ann away to give her some posture tips, leaving Akira to face the offended woman. _"Yup, as I thought, she's a bitch."_ Mika clicked her tongue, why was this big-shot idol getting chummy with that upstart when she could be chatting with the newest hit model? "How did you get close to her? She's above your level!" "Er, mutual friends?" The male avoided the angry looks, he was only a bystander. Thankfully those two returned soon after, and he noticed that Ann seemed to have a more... refined aura, having adjusted her stance for confidence thanks to some instructions. "We're ready for the shoot."

The teens left as soon her part was done, leaving the idol for her follow-up snaps. Mika was ticked off, having intended to trip up her rival, but this woman had coached the girl for a flawless shoot, foiling her plans. The idol sighed when she stepped closer, having seen past the sugar. "Risette, I'm so honored that you-" Rise disposed of the empty water bottle and faced Mika. "Look here, you two-faced weasel." The model got startled at the hostility. "I know your type, back-stabbing skank who tramples over her rivals to go up the totem pole, right?" Rise faced Mika as if she were a pile of trash. "If I hear that her career suffered because of you, watch your back." 

**~m~**

Boss and employee were conversing as they made their way to the office. "I have located some IPs that were attempting to breach in our system." "Frankly... Medjed is a nest of roaches. Yamagishi, keep tabs on them." But there was an unpleasant surprise, Niijima Sae had been waiting for Kirijo. "Greetings. I have some things I want to discuss with you." Mitsuru turned to face her secretary. "What is that woman doing here?" She cowered before her boss. Niijima had muscled her way into getting in contact with the CEO, and she wouldn't leave without getting what she wanted. "Fine... You may go to your post, Yamagishi."

Mitsuru was at her desk as the prosecutor took a seat on one of the chairs facing her. "How may I assist you?" Niijima frowned at the dismissive tone, Mitsuru wanted to finish this fast. "Why did you attempt to hire Isshiki Wakaba?" The CEO put up a stoic facade, that was something the prosecutor needn't know. "Why do you ask? Besides, it involves business sigil." The prosecutor leaned forward with a glare, but Mitsuru didn't get affected. "I need that information. Collaborate with my investigation." The redhead sighed, the woman was like a dog barking from behind the fence of her legal profession.

"Investigation? Then you should have a warrant, correct? Seeing how your field needs to follow due procedures." Sae was getting nervous, the woman had a chilling presence and was unwilling to cooperate. "Niijima. Until where my company is concerned, Isshiki was merely a failed attempt to headhunt." The prosecutor doubted those words. "Are you sure? I fail to see how you would benefit from research on cognitive psience." Mitsuru's patience ran out, considering how this woman didn't get the hint to go away, so she pressed a hidden button. "Well? Answer me." The security agents entered the office.

"What is this-?" They forced Sae to get up. "Niijima, I won't permit you to interrogate me without a warrant." Mitsuru got up and leveled a glare at the prosecutor. "What you were attempting to extract pertains to company secrets, and it's my legal right to refuse to disclose them." Niijima returned the glare. "Don't think this is-" "Of course not. The Chief Prosecutor did tell me that you were an obstinate subordinate." She froze at these words, she couldn't have that man turn his sights on her for scrutiny. _"What if he decides to fire me? I can't leave the post, not like this."_ Niijima lowered her head, leaving Kirijo in peace.

**~m~**

Rise got surprised when she got an invite for Crossroads, Mikumo wanted to get to know the idol better. "Pity that Naoto is busy..." They were enjoying the buzz when a certain teen came in the bar and spoke with Lala. _"Work here? Well, she's not letting him handle alcohol, so it should be fine."_ But once they heard 'crossdress', it was like blood in the water for the females. "Actually, I insist. It will make it harder for people to recognize me." The pair got chilling smirks at what Akira said, setting down their drinks and facing him. "Kira-Kira wants a makeover?" "Sounds fun~"

They were giddy at the chance, the teen felt pinpricks under their smiles. "I'll do the make-up!" Mikumo had pounced on the chance of using her skills on a fresh face. "Then leave the clothes with me!" Lala could only watch as those two towed the lad by his arms and shook her head at his resigned expression, like a man about to face the guillotine. _"They're like frenzied sharks..."_ Oh well, he had brought this upon himself, he could have taken Lala's refusal and work without getting in drag. _"Shit, she pulled out a camera..."_ Rise had gone nuts as she used Akira as a dress-up doll. "It's for the bar, so it should be business clothes like yours-" "And padding!"

Alibaba had decided to get some glimpses of the Outside through Akira's phone, hoping he had it out. _"Ah? He's filming a girl getting dolled up?"_ The detective was doing something with the girl's hair and there were make-up supplies by them. **{Is it uncomfortable? - No, I feel fine. - Well, I think that's about right.}** Mikumo smiled at the camera along with the girl. **{There~ Looksee how Akira is pretty~}** The girl had made a grave mistake to have been downing some soda, as her shock made it go up to her nose and cause a severe coughing fit. "Pweh-! Hak-! What the hell was that?!"

Naoto rubbed her brow after her busy day chasing after a stalker complaint that turned out to be fake. _"What a waste... I could have used the time to catch a real criminal..."_ Then she wondered what was up with those messages from Rise and Mikumo. [Come to CrossR tonite!] [You absolutely must come, 'kay?] Were they planning a prank? _"Can't be too guarded with those two around..."_ Naoto looked around in the dim bar, not picking any abnormalities besides the new hire washing some cups. _"Those two are drunk. Oh, bother."_ Mikumo was telling some tale to Rise and both were laughing like loons.

Lala poured a drink for the detective as she took a seat. "-but I got to admit that Khura'in is a nice place to visit. And so is Ninetails' Valley during the festival." Naoto had reached for the salty snacks by the lushes when the hire turned around. "... Akira...?" He got a cold sweat under her befuddled stare. "Er... hi?" Mikumo was having a riot as she filmed Naoto and Rise clutched her sides at the sight. "Bwahaha! This' gold!" "Your face! I'm dying!" Naoto recomposed herself and dragged the pair outside. "Ouch-!" "Kyan-!" Those two returned with reddened foreheads and some tears. "That's for laughing at my expense."

****~m~** **

The woman placed down her pallet and admired the painting of 'Sayuri', even the signature was back to its rightful place. _"It's done."_ She sent an email for the prosecutor as he had requested. - Kyouya read the message and took the day off, intent on finding Kitagawa and present him with the painting. Badou had been cranky when the man asked him for the beansprout's location. "Shibuya's walkway, it seems he likes to people-watch." But the detective knew how much this mattered for the prosecutor. "Thanks for your assistance." The veteran shooed him on his way.

The young artist was surprised to see the prosecutor approach him. "Mister Garyū? How can I help you?" The man asked him to accompany him to a museum. "You deserve to see this." Yusuke was surprised to learn that the prosecutor had made the effort to have his mother's legacy restored, and he intended to undo the tampering from Madarame on all the other original paintings that were sorted out from the stash. "What do you wish to with the 'Sayuri'?" The teen saw that the restoration was identical to the one back at Leblanc, Garyū had no idea that he already had a copy in his possession, one far more meaningful.

Kyouya was shocked to hear that the teen had no intention to take it. "You want to donate it? Right, it's your choice, after all." Then the man asked the artist about his current conditions. "You are struggling with finances? I see." Yusuke got curious at the way the man seemed to scheme something. "Sir?" Kyouya hoped he'd take his offer. "What do you think of having a sponsor? I'd pay for your living necessities and your art supplies." The teen frowned, he had heard that such arrangements had strings attached. "I won't take any kind of orders." The prosecutor shook his head.

"Don't worry, I know how you feel. I was once a singer, and loathed to have my compositions restricted by my manager." Yusuke was confused, this man had no intentions of controlling him? "If you wish so, we can draw a contract, that way you will have the law supporting you." The teen was unsure of what to do, torn between owning a favor to the man and keeping his freedom. "I can wait for your reply. It's your life that at stake, so you can take your time." Kyouya tried to diminish his worries. "Go home and think about my proposal, I only want to give support, if you let me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How Akira looks like while working at Crossroads.


	46. Chapter 46

Yahari watched over the preparatives for the scene before giving the go-ahead. "Ready...? Action!" - A man dressed as a ragged samurai ran on a hostile kunoichi from a foreign land. The man was wounded and attempted to pacify his foe to not end up gutted like a fish. His dignity took a few blows at having to surrender his weapons and get tied up, but he did get some basic aid before the woman left him to his fate. - "Nice! But Rise, try being a bit rougher, you're his enemy for now, after all."

The woman wiped the sweat, these clothes were heavy and stifling. "Go rest a bit. Shimon, go switch the make-up, I want to have you face the assassins now. Boys, don't flub with the angles, alright?" She thanked the brief rest and went to get water, noticing a man waving to get her focus. "Hey girlie, come sit here, the view here is good." A group of men with armor and prop weapons were lined up for the right moment. The main character got his hair fixed and the team added some bruises to his face.

A young genius, having worked in the field since he was a child, Aizawa was a successful actor who engaged fully with the character and role assigned. _"He reminds me of Naoto."_ Rise took a seat to watch her fellow actor play his lines while doing her best to ignore the Scully box. "All set! Remember to not let the camera shake!" The man needed it for quite a few scenes, considering the top of his head barely reached her eye level, and sometimes it was clear that he wasn't amused by the size difference. As the scene rolled out, the woman got a question for her senior.

"I hear that the director uses real people for his characters. Do you know by whom my role is inspired?" The burly man scratched his head, trying to recall anything the director had let slip. "The basis? I think he used that one detective, Ichijou." Rise had a deadpan face, Mikumo did fit the role like a glove. _"Even if she denies it."_ She searched for the videos she heard about from the grapevine, getting the treat of the detective jumping from fences and balconies to catch a perp, there was even one scene where she used bolas to trap a fugitive. _"Tokyo's ninja, indeed."_

**~m~**

With the failure of the first infiltration, Akira had taken a few days to stock up on medic supplies before calling the team for a retry. This time he did confirm beforehand that all the adults could come along, but the teens went first to scout. Naoto looked at the house with doubts. "A giant boulder? I'm glad you came out safely." Mikumo sighed at the terror she felt then. "Pray that we get to land close to the Palace, I had to cross a desert the first time." Her cat shook his head at the idea.

"Um, that kitty...?" Rise was unsure if they should take Sissel along. "Don't sweat it, he isn't affected by the Metaverse, I think." Besides, if she tried to shoo him away, he'd find a way to torment her later. "Last time I tried to ditch him, he turned my house in a snowscape with the AC." So the cat would get his wish to come with them. "Fine, just keep him safe from the Shadows." The detective wasn't worried and turned on the Metanav. "Hey, we're in our gear!"

Strix and Muse got curious at the shock from their teammate. "When we first got here, we didn't change. That means she sees us as threats. Hah, what a pain." Muse sent off her familiars to scout the area around the Palace, spotting a huge reading far above the pyramid that didn't belong to a Shadow. _"I wonder what is that."_ The main staircase was gated after the first intrusion, not to mention the abyss right before. "The hell happened here? I hope the others are safe." Strix sighed, they were stranded for now.

Shade had a forlorn expression. "Those kids are nowhere to be seen, the hall is blocked by a pitfall... How can we enter?" They deliberated over the issue. "You know, those movies always show alternate passages, maybe we can find one by searching around?" Muse had a point, it wouldn't hurt to check that theory. Strix soon discovered a strange dip in the sand, there was a staircase going down, too bad it was blocked. "I can't locate a lever..." Sissel huffed and went to check on the door. "Myan."

* * *

Naoto was startled when the world turned red-tinged, seeing Mikumo and the cat staring at her. "Eh? Sissel, did you save her before?" The cat denied it and faced the younger female. "Did you perhaps meet a dog called Missile?" The woman sighed at this, Mikumo's inane ramblings - she frowned, having heard that - made sense now. "So you're _that_ Sissel. I thought it was simply a coincidence. And why haven't you contacted me before?" Sissel shrugged dismissively, irking her. "Didn't feel like it. Besides, you aren't a suicidal fool like Mikumo."

"Oi!" He shot his owner a dry glare. "[redacted] deaths, just facing the phantom. Do you refute these numbers?" The woman flinched like a scolded child. "Gh... no." Naoto grimaced. "Holy... I only died once-" The cat shook his head. "Twice. That bus did catch you, but Mikumo had me rewind her own time to save you." At her confused frown, her senior mimed shooting herself. "We can talk later, 'kay? Time to raid this tomb." Sissel fiddled with the mechanisms as the pair watched. "And... there. It's a quite simple lock."

* * *

Muse was startled when the grate creaked off their path. "What the- It opened?!" The cat seemed to snort smugly. "Wait, is he like your dog, Strix?" "Sort of." The group explored the passage and met the teens, who were shaking off the sand in a rare safe spot. "Fuck, I think I got sand even up my asscrack." They had narrowly escaped a quicksand pit and asked the adults from where they entered. "Sissel opened a door for us." The cat puffed out his chest from his shoulder perch. "Shit, we really should have waited for you lot."

Now that they had a safer route into the Palace, Joker called for a closer inspection of the area. "You sure that kitty will be safe here?" Shade patted the cat on her shoulder. "Sissel insisted to come along. He knows not to hinder us." The blackie shot Mona a strange look, making the tuxedo flinch. _"Brr... he looks a bit eerie."_ But wouldn't the cat suffer anything from the distorted Metaverse? "Man, it'd be nice if your pet could use a Persona too." Sissel didn't react at the jab.

True to what Shade said, the cat was quick to seek cover when they faced Shadows. That is, until they faced that damn coffin Shadow, as Sissel began chasing around the rattled Strix, Fox and Queen, while Joker took safe haven in the hands of his still-human teammates and Shade tried to catch the feline. "Sissel, get over here!" The girls gushed over the mouse leader, making Skull click his tongue with annoyed envy. Thankfully the ailment wore off fast and the cat ceased his pursuit. "It may be small, but it's quite ferocious and adamant..."

Futaba's heart was guarded against intruders, her Palace had crafted puzzles to hinder its plundering and the Phantoms had to be cautious to not fall in any traps. "Haah, those gimmicks are annoying." The mural they found served to tell Futaba's view of what had happened two years ago. With her mother dead the girl had gone to relatives, but they had mistreated her and she harbored guilt due to an alleged suicide letter. "That's so fucking twisted and evil!" Joker sighed, the girl was much better off under Sojiro's care.

"Some of these contraptions remind me of binary, it makes sense with her background." The hologram puzzle was straightforward, but instead of deactivating the boulder trap it only served to keep it active. "Oh gods, that corridor is as good as blocked now." Mona was in disbelief that Futaba's heart was rejecting them so strongly. "Push the button again!" From bad to worse, the boulders sped up in being dropped, making the ground shake dreadfully with the impacts. Skull and Joker got ticked off and put their feet through the control pad, breaking it for good. "... At least the boulders stopped."

Shade had a somber look when they saw the mural about the suicide. "... I got to see the autopsy." The thieves got apprehensive at the incoming words. "Black fluids, does this ring any bells?" The group disliked the implication, Futaba's mother wasn't suicidal, she had been murdered. And their resolve was solidified further with the next mural, where the Ruler restated that she was slated to die. "Alright, let's keep going, she won't end her life in that tiny room."

Once they were at the last door, the senior detective grimaced after testing it. "It's her actual door, I recognize those stickers. I did get to open it, but it won't react..." Joker recalled a similar situation. "Maybe we need to influence her cognition, like with Madarame." Muse saw the Ruler arrive, and Futaba confirmed the suspicion. "If only our Shadows had been this nice, right, Strix?" The detective grimaced at the unwelcomed memories. "We'll leave it to you all, Joker. Call us when you decide to send the card."

**~m~**

The teen got up, displacing Morgana off his face, yawning before getting dressed, he had promised Mishima to meet up at Harajuku. "What is his excuse this time...?" Well, it was a welcome break from the gloom caused by the Palace. Once he arrived at the district, it didn't take long for the guy to find him. "With this many people around, surely there will be gossip flying about, maybe even about the Phantoms." Mishima was eager with the idea they could find a new target as well.

Soon after they met, Ryuji popped up as well. "Fancy meetin' ya here." He had been shopping for sports gear but had bad luck with the selection. "Well, are you guys free? Let's grab a bite and catch up?" Akira didn't mind it. "We can investigate the food." Mishima shrugged, figuring they could listen to rumors while they ate. "Where should we go?" The guys had decided for a cosplay cafe, but just because the food looked good, they had no ulterior motives like watching the hotties, no siree.

As they were digging in, Akira noticed that the young admin was pumped up about something, bouncing his leg and fidgeting. "Got some news?" Akira stopped drinking his tea and watched him. "Did you hear the rumors? It seems that Aizawa Shimon will star in a blockbuster soon!" Ryuji scratched his head at the name. "Shi-who?" Mishima balled his fists with irritation. "He's Aizawa! How can you not know of him!?" The blond looked at Akira for help. "He's the guy who could talk to Moozilla."

Now he got it. "Ah, the horned dude. What of it?" Mishima pouted at the disinterest. "I got wind of some leaked photos, he's gonna star in a Steel Samurai movie. Plus, there's a character from another country in it, aren't you curious?" The blond shrugged. "I have no idea of what you're talkin' about, so I dunno..." The spectacled teen had a spark. "Couldn't it be the character Kujikawa will play?" Ryuji perked up at that, listening into the cheerful chatter. "Oh~ I can see that! Betcha that she's gonna have a big role!"

"Maybe they want people to speculate, that's why they are keeping it on the down-low." Hell, Akira had asked Rise directly and she refused to give details. "Man... I'm getting hyped for the movie, I hope it doesn't flop..." It would be a damn shame to have two big names be associated with a failed release. "Oh, look at the time." Akira picked his bag and left some money for the bill. "Gotta go, I need to work at Leblanc." The pair waved goodbye as they got up to leave as well.


	47. Chapter 47

The teen thieves had gone to meet Futaba in person to deliver the letter, facing a few contretemps as she turtled in her room and in her closet. Akira had sent a few messages to the adults so they could assist in the operation. [Why today!? My manager just HAD to schedule an interview!] Welp, Rise was off the heist, he only hoped that the detectives could come. - Mikumo frowned at the message, making her junior confused. "Fiddlesticks... I got slated to act as bait. Take Sissel, Naoto." The cat meowed in protest at being handled like a tool. "Alright, stay safe." The senior waved in dismissal. "Break a leg."

Naoto faced the house as the cat shuffled in her hold. "It's time, Sissel." The feline's ears perked up at the noise from inside. "Futaba's doing something?" The woman could hear the footsteps by now, it was coming to the front door. _"What's happening with her?"_ The girl bumped on the detective as she bolted out the house. "... Futaba?" She looked up as the app notified the entry into the Metaverse. "S-Shirogane... Naoto?" Sissel landed on the ground and hissed in protest at being squished. "... Oh dear..." The teen was on her rear on the sand as she stared at the masked detective.

"So you got it as well. Call me Strix in this world." Then the woman wondered what could happen, now that the girl was in her own Palace. _"Perhaps it's for the best, maybe...?"_ Futaba demanded an explanation. "Shh... Listen to me, if we find your Shadow, keep this in mind..." Strix knew not where the others were, so a fight could be disastrous. "You must accept it. If there's anything you are suppressing, stop doing so." The girl was confused at the orders. "I went through something similar. It will be hard, but if you want to heal your heart, it must be done." Strix offered her hand. "Let's go find the Phantoms, they must be in there."

Futaba stood up and nodded, following the thief through the corridors. _"So this is my Palace..."_ These walls felt oppressive, but the looked around with wonder, a Palace was a surreal location. "I didn't think it'd be like this..." Strix and Sissel were on high alert, ears and eyes sharpened for any Shadows. "It draws from your subconscious, anything goes if you feel attached to a concept." The girl lowered her head, recalling how her mother had once stated her admiration of Egypt. "Did you have a Palace too?" Strix glanced back. "... A similar construct, yes." The cat dug his claws in her shoulder, making her look forward. "That is..."

The Shadow Ruler had been waiting for them, with a blank mural behind her. "Na-Strix...?" She offered a reassuring smile. "Remember what I said. And I won't let anything harm you." The detective took a respectful distance, letting human and Ruler sort out the issues with Futaba's heart as her memories were displayed on the mural. "This is... when Mom jumped in front of that car..." The girl fell to her knees and cowered when she faced the day she voiced her loneliness. "Don't run." Futaba was heaving at her haywire mind. _"Accept... it's hard... must be done..."_ She glanced at Strix, who gestured her to look.

"Why have you called the Phantoms? Haven't you made your mind?" Futaba swallowed the knot in her throat and faced her memory. "It's the day when... I complained... and Mom scolded me..." The Ruler merely nodded. "I knew it...!" She choked a sob. "... I killed Mom...!" Strix watched as she beat herself with guilt, but knew not to interfere. "Are you sure?" Futaba was confused. "Don't avert your eyes. When did this happen?" The girl struggled. "I whined about wanting to go on a trip... but she scolded me and said no..." The Shadow urged her to dig up the memories, to recall the words said and the actions she took.

"What did she say afterward? There was more." Futaba's eyes widened at something, Strix could glimpse the thread of success. "'My research is almost over. Once it's finished, we can go wherever you like.'" Her eyes stung at the repressed memories. "'I'm sorry I've left you alone for so long.' 'I need to complete it, even if it costs me my life.'" Futaba felt something trickle down her cheeks, finally recalling her mother's love. "Agh! My head... it hurts... Which is true...?" "Your memory is..." Once the Ruler faded away, Strix went to help her. "... I feel something from that direction..." The detective nodded and aided her. "Get on my back, it'll be faster."

**~m~**

Mikumo couldn't help but wonder how the heist was going, despite knowing she had to focus on attracting this goddamned creep. _"Tsk, this slimeball is trashy..."_ This host stank of cheap knock-off cologne and that sloppy smile made her skin crawl. _"It's getting tempting, but I can't."_ She did her best to return the crappy flirting and make him eat the bait so the police could hook him. _"Just show your true colors already..."_ The honeypot agent had been tasked with getting intel on his modus operandi of obtaining targets and the tactic used to make them fall into debt.

He was a fat fish to catch, considering that he usually trapped young females, high-schoolers, to boot, into a life of selling their bodies. She listened with feigned interest about how he worked as a host and had expensive tastes, dandily swishing the glass of red wine. _"Bah, it's the cheapest one, you fucker."_ She had met people with far more class than this bastard, but that a very low bar to clear. He then asked for her number and name. "I'm Mio, it was a nice date." The way he leered over her body left her with the urge to pour the rest of the wine on his head.

They parted ways with some sugary flirting, Mikumo made haste to her house to wash off the blonde highlighting and gyaru make-up, and perhaps she'd burn the tube-top once the mission was over for good measure. _"That tasted horrible..."_ The man was clearly someone who preyed on impressionable teenagers and spun lies to make them swoon. _"Consider your days counted, sleazeball."_ The number of complaints from relatives of previous prey had rung alarms, as they had all described the exact same man. _"Such scum breeds fast, sadly."_ After Kaneshiro, there was an effort to slash any potential sex market at the bud.

**~m~**

"Strix! Futaba!?" Mona was nervous, to have the owner of a Palace enter it... "I and Muse went through it. So believe in her." Futaba got off, only to be harassed by apparitions of people accusing her of killing her mother. "It's my fault..." Strix held her shoulder to try and snap her out. "You killed me!" The Sphinx roared its outrage, spewing odious bile at Futaba. "I wish you had never been born!" Her mother was a cognitive amalgam of her guilt and wish to have her mother back. "It would've been the discovery of the century!" Strix frowned, would cognitive psience be really beneficial, considering the potential for abuse?

"Ow-!" Futaba held her face as four red lines surfaced, Sissel had slapped her. Strix took the chance to force the girl to focus on her, holding her head so she wouldn't cower. "Look past the illusions, Sojiro told us she loved you. Was the suicide letter real? You do know about false memories, right?" Her eyes darted around with the urges of flight. "Besides, her research must have been coveted, there is scum who'd stop at nothing to snatch it." Kirijo had revealed her worry over Wakaba's death and lost data. "M-Mom... I...!" Strix noticed the Ruler and stepped aside. Futaba had to face her Shadow so she could heal from her past.

"I won't be deceived anymore, I will find the truth among the lies myself." Futaba glared at the cognition. "You're a mockery made of falsehood!" Now that the scales had fallen and she accepted what her heart already knew, her Shadow was converted into a Persona. _"An alien...?"_ Skull and Joker made weird faces when they saw the tentacles snatch Futaba into the UFO. "DU. DE." "Yep." Strix and Queen shot them glares at the outburst and Joker feigned a cough to recompose. "Now, shall we face that Sphinx?" The Phantoms shook off the beating with renewed spirits, it was time to put an end to the heist.

Futaba created a ballista to aid in grounding the cognition and before any thief could react- "Whoah!" Sissel jumped on Panther's head and landed on the contraption's bow to claim the rights, he would be faster than them. "Leave it to him, he has many _tricks_ in his sleeve." Nobody protested it and steeled themselves for the fight, the cat even snorted as if to dare them to take his post. "Kitty, there!" The ballista moved smoothly to aim at the spot pointed by Futaba. "3... 2... Shoot!" The bolt pierced the beast's side and it landed roughly on the pyramid.

Strix and Joker took their chance and jumped on the sphinx, striking directly at the wings with their Personas to cripple it further. "It's weaker against melee attacks, gang up on it!" At Futaba's orders, the Phantoms rained pain on the cognitive Wakaba, but it soon regained the skies, forcing the girl to reload the ballista and issue new orders to Sissel. "Rawr!" With teamwork, soon the sphinx was on its last legs. "If only I had never birthed you...!" Futaba flinched at the hateful words with her mother's voice. "I won't listen to lies. FIRE!" The bullets were the final nail on the fake Wakaba's coffin.

The thieves came down from the rush of battle, marveling at the huge help Futaba was. "W-What is this?!" She was shocked at her phantom gear. "It's skintight too!" Sissel shook off the sand on his fur and squirreled inside Strix's coat for convenience. The thieves got wary when another cognition showed up, but it wasn't hostile. "Mom?" Wakaba had thanked her daughter for recalling how she was in life. "I love you, my dear. Now, you should be going." Wakaba faded away and Futaba wiped her face the best she could. "Medjed, I have to honor my word." Futaba then asked Strix to give her a lift down the Palace, she was tired and wanted to take a nap.

**~m~**

Naoto stumbled on her feet, she was standing in the Sakura household's entrance, with a ruffled Sissel inside her coat and Futaba leaning on the door. _"At least nobody ended up a pole this time."_ The detective saw her eyes get misted over at the memories of her mother and offered a handkerchief. "Sniff..." Naoto's face stiffened when Futaba blew her nose on the necktie and wiped the snot on her coat. "Ngoh-! Not that!" The cat also complained, having got some on his fur. _"For the love of-!"_ But it fizzled when the girl went slack, blacking out from her exertion. _"She's breathing..."_

She couldn't leave Futaba like this, but where could she get help? _"Wait, didn't he talk about..."_ There was the Takemi practice close by, Akira had mentioned that the unfriendly doctor was pretty good at her job. Naoto picked up the girl and adjusted her on her back for easier carry. "Heave-ho." The detective thanked her exercises to build strength, then she tried to recall which direction she had to take, intent on taking Futaba to the clinic. _"She's too light for her age..."_ Takemi had huffed with annoyance at the recent workload, but the doctor ran tests to check on Futaba's health. "I found her collapsed, does she have anything serious?"

Takemi glanced up from the medical results. "Besides some vitamin deficiencies and the low muscular tone, she is only in a state of stupor." Naoto sighed with relief. "Does that mean she can be taken home?" The doctor shrugged. "There should be no issues. You said she's Sakura's child. Tell him to make her do outdoor activities, she needs to be more active." The detective nodded and picked the slumbering girl up. "Thanks for your work." Naoto ran on a frantic Akira, he had combed the area after them. "Is she alright?" The woman was unsure. "Back when I got my Persona, I entered a state of fatigue, perhaps it's the same for her."

Then the teen wondered what to tell Sojiro. "Leave it to me." Naoto handed over the girl to her father, who was befuddled at why Futaba would end up fainted by the curb, but as long the girl stayed unconscious he wouldn't get answers. "Thanks for looking out for her, Shirogane. So... The doc said she's alright?" Naoto had fibbed, saying she found the girl by the house's gate and only took her to the clinic. "You seem unpreoccupied, is this common?" The teens were in earshot and were unsure that they had succeeded. "Yeah, she gets like this every so often. She'll be out for a few days, I guess."

Ryuji almost fell from his hideout at this. _"So it's just a powernap?!"_ Sojiro told Akira to close Leblanc as he took Futaba back home. "I have to report to the office about my rounds, so take care, Akira." Once Naoto was out of sight, Ryuji thanked their luck that the detective hadn't looked too hard into it. "We'd be in deep shit if she knew we're the Phantoms..." The girls and Morgana all cringed at how clueless he was. _"You idiot..."_ Akira simply invited them into the closed cafe, pouring coffee for them. "It's on me. For Futaba's wellbeing." The teens all cheered, knowing the girl would be their new teammate. "May she kick Medjed's ass!"


	48. Chapter 48

As the Phantoms waited for Futaba to wake up, Akira got called by Ryuji to provide moral support. "Do ya remember that Yamauchi dude?" The blond was worried about his former team, seeing how the coach intended to use them to further his own fame while stealing the work of a real pro. "I called those guys to meet up at a park. C'mon, it's almost time." The pair had waited for a few minutes before the track club members showed their faces. "Time to tell 'em what Yamauchi's plannin'." Akira frowned at this, doubting they'd believe him. "That's why I recorded what that bastard said." The blond grinned with a puffed chest, making his friend shake his head.

"Uh... I might need backup too..." Akira raised a brow, what was the guy planning? _"... Is this going to end up with a fight?"_ The runners, Takeishi and Nakaoka, arrived and demanded to know why Ryuji had called them. "What the hell?! Is this a gang-up?!" The snitch was fearful of the two local delinquents and his former teammate. "Chill dude, I just wanna talk." Ryuji then revealed Yamauchi's intentions with the track team and how he had manipulated the students. "This has to be a joke..." Takeishi was being favored due to his parents, according to Yamauchi himself. Nakaoka had his doubts about what they heard. "Is this real?"

The recording was clear, making Takeishi acknowledge that he wasn't as good as the others, lacking natural talent but unwilling to disappoint his father. "That's why I listened to Yamauchi..." Ryuji was indignant, the guy had betrayed the team to get ahead. "You couldn't know how I feel..." The blond blew up, he had worked as hard as the others back when he was in the track team. "You think you gotta betray people to be proud?" Takeishi recoiled at the scolding. "And you..." Ryuji turned on Nakaoka. "You knew something was up, right?" The guy admitted having seen the signs, but he was only interested in having his team back. "... You missed runnin' that badly?"

The spectacled teen listened as the blond spoke about how he had been in a dark place until he got a new friend in Akira. "If you wanna hit me or somethin', go ahead." The transferee had the urge to facepalm at that. _"You're going to get pummeled, and a lot."_ Nakaoka and Takeishi traded looks, they had seen some truth to what Ryuji had said about them and the track team, despite still disliking the guy for being the one to blame for its earlier downfall. "In that case..." Akira watched as the runners had each taken swings at Ryuji. _"I knew it."_ The blond was laying on the grass as the track members walked away with lighter hearts, willing to settle their differences.

Ryuji sat up and rubbed his face, it was starting to get blotchy with purple and red. "You saw that, right? They were really violent..." Akira had zero sympathies, he had asked for it. "Well... it was my fault, to begin with." The blond shrugged, figuring those two would be fine from now on. "... Thanks." He got helped up to his feet by his friend. "When will you pay me back?" Ryuji hung his head, promising to take him out for ramen later. "For real, you were a huge help, you pushed me to be cool." Akira had a flat stare. "You weren't cool, though." Ryuji gave him a half-hearted shove and they began laughing at the situation. "Imma tastin' some blood, let's eat some other time."

**~m~**

Makoto had resolved to solve the issues within Shujin by herself, having seen how the principal only looked out for his own hide. Her current project was to check whether one of her classmates, Eiko, was involved with a dangerous person. Having learned from Kamoshida, Makoto had become wary of people's intentions from second-hand accounts until she could ascertain the facts personally. _"I should be careful not to make him suspicious of my goal."_ She had prodded and gotten the girl to accept a double date so she could check on the man, but the issue would be to get a fake boyfriend.

Ryuji was too thuggish, and Yusuke was a bit... socially inept. That left her with Akira as the best option, so she should find a way to convince him to go along with her plan. "Makoto, I'll need silence while I go over my files." The girl sighed as her sister entered the apartment and went to her room, holding a load of papers. _"Sis, I'm sorry for keeping my secrets..."_ Sae was a bit thorny towards her since the taunts from Mikumo, feeling betrayed that her sister had sided with the detective and kept silent about the request. But it wasn't as if she could come clean about her escapades as a Phantom, either.

**~m~**

Akira was walking through Shibuya when he got a sudden message from Kawakami, and the fact she didn't reply was worrying. "You should call..." Morgana was intrigued, sniffing something fishy. "Fine, let's get to Leblanc." He took the chance when Sojiro was busy with his curry to dial the number, but he got answered by a nurse, who said Kawakami had collapsed from exhaustion and was interned at Aoyama's Hospital and asked if he could pay her a visit. "Damn, whoever is extorting her..." Akira frowned, he had to help his teacher, or she'd end like Takase.

"How could I collapse at a time like this?" Akira didn't know how to snap his teacher off her funk, and things only got worse when a couple arrived. "You contacted the school...!?" The man had a sneer aimed at her, claiming it was necessary because their calls had bounced. "It's really an inconvenience for us when you miss a payment." To top the shit pile they were, the woman had all but ordered Kawakami to give them money, despite being in the goddamned hospital. "I'm sorry..." Akira glared at them, so they were the Takase who led her student to death.

"Messing around with another student, huh?" The man spouted outrageous claims about Kawakami, despite the facts. _"What a pair of leeches..."_ They only cared about the money Kawakami could provide, abusing her good intentions and guilt over her student's death. "Why should she pay you?" Akira had enough of listening. "Don't act so tough, kid." The man claimed that the student had died because of the teacher, but it was obvious who was the real culprit. The couple threatened Kawakami with the loss of her job if she didn't pay them before leaving.

"... I have to figure out a way to get money." The woman lamented the situation, and from the sound of it, the 'sister company' was prostitution. "Think this through more." He wouldn't let it happen, not when he had the means to avert that fate. "Why are you so interested in helping me?" Before Akira could answer- "You know what? I'll stop worrying about it!" Kawakami had resolved to pay them nevertheless, even if she killed herself with overwork. "All I really want is... a way to apologize to Takase..." He sighed at her obstination. "Just rest for now." He'd get their names from her later, their hearts were rotten to the core.

**~m~**

Futaba blinked awake and got up on wobbly legs. Sojiro was impressed to see his daughter exit the room voluntarily, smiling with relief. "It's good to see you well." He frowned when the doorbell rang. "Uh? I'm not waiting for any guests..." He checked through the window and spotted a redhead by the gate, having seen an interview where she commented about Medjed. _"Why is she here?"_ The girl peeked as well and cowered, recalling what Naoto had said, did Kirijo come to punish her? "Stay inside, I'll see what she wants." As Sojiro went to see the woman, Futaba hid behind the corner.

Mitsuru had come to check the place, having been informed that Futaba had obtained a Persona, holding some questions for the girl. _"Are they home?"_ She thought she saw the blinds move. _"Oh, there he is."_ Sojiro had opened the door with a suspicious frown. "Kirijo, right? Why are you here?" The CEO explained she only wanted to see Futaba, she had no further motives. "A colleague of mine had expressed worry for her health, so here I am." He was still dubious of her intentions, why would a big shot like her come after a girl. _"Is she like Niijima...?"_

Sojiro was tense at Kirijo's presence and Futaba had wilted under her gaze. "So you are Isshiki's daughter." The girl tried to figure out what the woman wanted with her, and the man wondered if he had to step in. Mitsuru could see their distrust of her, it was slightly disheartening. "Allow me to apologize." Father and child were shocked when the CEO bowed. "W-What for?!" The woman faced Futaba with some guilt. "I should have noticed something amiss with your mother, and taken measures to keep her safe." Sojiro frowned. "Why the effort? She said she refused your offer."

"She actually asked me to wait until her current job was over, she wished to complete her research with her current team." Mitsuru then faced the small family, noticing that he was unsure to trust her words. "I should take my leave." The man was hesitant, wary of this stranger who came and said many strange things. "W-Wait...!" She felt a grip on her coat and looked at the girl. "Um... Miss Kirijo, can I meet Fuuka?" The woman glanced at Sojiro for permission, who took a few moments to think before nodding. "I will tell her, she may come at a later date." Mitsuru left the house, and Sojiro could only face Futaba with many questions brewing in his mind.

**~m~**

Akira had received a strange request from Yusuke, he wanted to visit Inokashira Park and use the boats. _"Pretty sure this will be a menial job..."_ But he had accepted to take the artist there. "Thanks for your assistance, it would be impossible to sketch while rowing." Yusuke had been watching the other boats with a critical eye, searching for something. They saw a middle-aged man facing a young brunette. "So... Alyssa, are doing well as an intern?" She was cheerful as she talked, but they didn't look related in the slightest. "Yup, I just got moved to general surgery, but to see all the victims of those psychotic attacks..."

She shook her head and pointed out the ducks swimming by to her fellow passenger. "Careful there, you might fall." The man had laughed at her fascination. "Perfect... this is it." Akira had a bad feeling at the spark that flared in his eyes. "I want to portrait the passion between man and woman!" This had caught the attention of the pair, making Akira sweat with nervousness and Yusuke only made it worse with his observations. "I see, so that's a romance tinged with-" The male got greatly flustered at what Yusuke was saying and stood up with outrage. "It's not a forbidden love! She's like a daughter to me!"

If the oars were detachable, surely he'd have hurled one at Yusuke for his absurd statements. "Close your mouth, for the love of all that is holy..." The woman had an amused grin as she tried to calm the man down, he was making their ride rickety. "Stop rocking the boat, Little Guy." Akira had half a mind to just swim to the shore and leave Yusuke to his devices. _"... I pray he doesn't end up eating paint..."_ Artists were eccentric folk, considering the anecdotes about great painters from the past. _"I wanna go home..."_ The female was giggling at the bizarre situation as the man glared daggers at the teens. _"Morgana would laugh at us..."_

But the man wasn't done with his rebuttal. "Hey, if using a boat means we're a couple, what does that say about you two, uh?!" Akira froze at that while Yusuke seemed not to get the insinuation. "Come on, Little Guy, I'm sure they were just kidding." The teen had enough of this absurd set-up and grabbed the oars, shooting his friend a stern glare. "Alright, pack your things, we're done for today." Yusuke attempted to protest, but Akira would have none of that. "Next time use your inner voice. Don't say those inane things out loud!" The artist was clueless but nodded at the orders. "If you say so... And it's about time for me to go home, anyway."


	49. Chapter 49

Naoto had been walking through Shibuya when she spotted the one politician that had been making the rounds among the prosecutors. _"Is that Akira with him?"_ Yoshida had ambitious goals for someone party-less, but there was some charm to his speech that helped sway some opinions to his favor. _"Trying to learn charisma tricks?"_ She gave the teen holding up a plaque a last glance before resuming her job. She had seen some passersby give her a look and make unpleasant faces, possible perps intimidated by the prospect of getting chased and arrested.

"Yo, Hattie." She paused at the call and saw the man Mikumo had fallen on a while back. _"What was his name...?"_ From what her senior had said, he was from the Interpol and currently on a sabbatical, although Mikumo had grumbled and remarked it was more of a paid holiday. "I am Rou Shiryū." He offered a card. "Shirogane Naoto. Honored to meet you." He had a fanged grin, 'Wolfie' was an apt nickname. "I have seen you around Birdie a few times, do you have time to spare?" The tone he used implied an order, making her wonder what he intended.

He saw her hesitation. "I don't bite unless you're a criminal." Naoto deadpanned, was he that much of a wolf maniac? _"And his clothes wouldn't be displaced among Yakuza..."_ She asked him to wait for the end of her beat. "Alright, I shall be at..." He checked his phone for a message. "... Bar Crossroads." "I know where it is. See you soon." - Akira was startled when the thuggish man sat down at the counter, apparently waiting for someone. _"He looks like someone Iwai would know well..."_ He was knocking back the beer straight from the bottle. "Yo, girlie, I want squid."

The poor teen could see that the slightly buzzed man wanted to talk to someone, but Lala was entertaining another customer. "C'm'ere." Akira sighed, there was no escape, as there were no other customers to give him an excuse. "Hello, sir." Rou had a predatory smirk as he took the snack plate. "Have you been accompanying the news? All those psychotic breakdowns..." The man shook his head, Tokyo was in a strange situation. "Yes, it has been like this for... Two years, I think?" The agent huffed, annoyed with the inefficiency of the local force. "Ya wanna know what I think? These incidents are manmade."

Akira wondered if Rou had insider info to be able to say this. "Haah... I've heard they're blaming the Phantoms, but the times don't match. Grr... If I had been in charge, I'd scour this entire city after the real perp!" Akira had to keep a tight hold on his guts to not flinch away from the feral man when he punched the counter. _"This kind of guy is a police officer?!"_ Naoto stepped in the bar and the agent waved for her. "Shirogane, Birdie had some interesting things to say about you." The agent got up and gestured for her to follow. "Let's find a place without eavesdroppers."

The teen shot her a worried look, but she sent him a message. [HE'S MIKUMO'S ACQUAINTANCE, SHE SWEARS HE ISN'T AN ENEMY.] He wondered once again about that detective's background, she acted like a run-off-the-mill officer, but she had quite the mysterious past. _"Plus, there's that weird cat of hers..."_ Naoto had been reacting strangely to Sissel's presence, almost as if she could listen to him talking. _"Is he like Morgana?"_ Perhaps that kitty could help the tuxedo with his identity crisis. _"Still, what could that guy want to talk about?"_ He'd have to ask her once he had the chance.

**~m~**

Akira had bit back a curse when he asked about Futaba and Sojiro had said she had woken up long enough to eat a snack, but the girl had gone under right after. _"This nap is way too long."_ But there was nothing he could do, the Phantoms would have to wait for her to recover naturally, and that one agent of the SO was ready to leap into action if Futaba failed to wake up. _"Yamagishi has been blocking them from causing damage, maybe she can take care of it."_ Alas, boredom had struck the group, so he had decided to call for an incursion into Mementos, having managed to find several targets during his part-time jobs.

Everybody was confused as to why there was a weird air around Strix and Shade, the usually friendly pair was trading death glares and seemed to be about to fight for real. "So you won't admit that I'm right?" The petite one had her arms crossed and a defiant attitude. "Tsk, tsk, I am on the right here, you should concede." The senior shook her head as if chiding a kid for a tantrum. "Drop your lies, he's stronger, so he'd win." "Aah? What use is power, if there's no skill to back it?" Oh dear, they were closing the distance, the tension was palpable at this point.

Muse had been standing away from them, having lowered her head at the antics of those detectives, so the chief tried to get details from her. "They are being hardheaded instead of hardboiled." "What's going on?" The idol's expression betrayed how she felt, those two were being bullheaded for nothing. "They're having a spat over Steel Samurai and Jamming Ninja." Joker got disappointed, having figured they were arguing over serious matters. "They should stop worrying about silly things-" He instantly snapped his mouth shut, the pair was glaring at him. "Haa...?" "Silly...?" The sound of knuckles popping made his hair stand up. "Uh, forgive me?"

Thankfully for his health, they only gave him a long scolding about not butting in if he wasn't going to add anything useful. "Excuse me..." Fox had a question for the adults. "I was approached by that prosecutor you spoke about, Strix..." The Phantoms listened to their art maniac about his encounters with that man. "He has offered to be my sponsor, but I'm unsure if I should accept." Shade hummed thoughtfully. "That glimmerous fop, eh? I'm sure he's being sincere in wanting to support you." Kyouya might have the looks of a dastardly smug snake like his incarcerated brother, but he was actually a swell guy who cared about fairness.

"Hm, perhaps we could get into an agreement, I did sense camaraderie from him." The artist asked a few more questions to the detectives before his worries were put to rest. "You should take the offer." Joker had heard his woes and cared for his wellbeing. _"Dude's practically starving himself with the 'blow money on art supplies' deal."_ And Shade had even promised to put her attorney friend on the case to ensure that Fox didn't get duped in the contract's details. "Leave it to Naruhodo's agency, 'kay?" As the humans talked about trivial matters, Sissel stared at the blackie with a white ear who peered at his group.

**~m~**

Medjed had been causing a stir in the news ever since their challenge against the Phantoms. Their activities were messing badly with several banks and the stock market, causing no end of grief to people. Mitsuru had a personal stake in taking them down, as Fuuka had to block attempts to invade the Kirijo servers every day. _"But they also gave us important information."_ The apparently indiscriminate upheaval that preceded the cleanse had missed some businesses, it didn't even graze those who had been reaping benefits from the scandals caused by mental breakdowns.

Okumura Foods should have been an appetizing target to those hackers, but their stocks hadn't wavered. Only their rivals were facing a crisis. _"For a group that touts justice as their motto, they are ignoring those who are corrupt..."_ The CEO suspected strongly that Medjed was being used as a mouthpiece to muddy the Phantoms in the eyes of society. _"And she told me that..."_ Apparently, despite Medjed being an international organization, the IPs behind the attacks on Kirijo were all from Japan. _"... What will be the next step in this smear campaign...?"_

Mitsuru rubbed her temple, not wanting to see this logical progression to become a reality. She set down the papers and looked at Tokyo from her office, there was one act that the law considered especially terrible. _"Will they blame the Phantoms for a murder?"_ She sighed, her group was facing an entire web of corruption, they had no idea of how low their methods could be. _"Mitsurugi has been gathering evidence..."_ Madarame and Kaneshiro were income sources for the lynchpin. _"What Ichijou reported is worrying, the leader surely knows how to tap into the Metaverse."_

Futaba's memories could be incomplete and lacking crucial pieces, but to have the head of the cognitive psience suffer a strange accident and her research lost... Mitsuru winced at a migraine worming into existence, having to keep track of her business and this conspiracy was taxing her threshold for stress. _"I need to inform Kurusu, they can't be rash with their next target."_ And if the leader failed to heed her warnings, she'd resort to those detectives and the idol for damage mitigation. _"Whoever is the leader, perhaps they will have no qualms if it means the Phantom's downfall."_

**~m~**

On a Sunday morning, Morgana had yowled his worries about Futaba not waking up, for it was their last day to deal with Medjed. "It seems that we'll have to rely on Yamagishi, after all." Akira shrugged, it was out of their control. Sojiro was brewing the first batch of coffee for the day, so the teen went to sit down and get his breakfast. "Why the mug?" The man told him not to touch it, the coffee was a small tribute to Wakaba and a yearly ritual. "It happened on this date." The teen now understood why the man looked more sullen than the usual. "This one's for you." Another mug clinked on the counter.

Akira listened as he compared Futaba and her mother with a wistful face. "Why'd you have to die...?" The man had his doubts, and since Kirijo had visited they only got stronger. _"Protect her? From whom?"_ When Sojiro told him about why Niijima was badgering him, Akira lowered his head, Mikumo had all but stated that Wakaba had suffered a mental collapse, considering the autopsy. "There were people who wanted to snatch her work for themselves..." The elder sighed, he merely had suppositions that he had kept to himself, not sharing with Futaba. "There's one thing I do regret..."

Sojiro hadn't listened to Wakaba's worries, the girl wasn't the only one who felt guilty over Wakaba's death. "... how do you heal emotional scars?" Akira had no answer, but he had hopes that the heist would let the girl start her journey to recovery. *Ding-!* Speaking of the devil, Futaba sat at the counter and began drinking the tribute, just to grimace at the bitterness and chill. "You can't sell this!" Sojiro was processing the event, unused to seeing Futaba out and about. "... You're OK!?" The girl wilted. "I'm sorry I worried you." Akira had spotted a stray tear before it was wiped. Sojiro calmed down and resumed the preparation to open the cafe.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something..." "Medjed?" Akira saw her sit straighter at the reminder. "Let's take care of it." The girl pulled Akira and Morgana along to her house while Sojiro was distracted. "How do we cook them?" "It's up to you." The guy grimaced at having to face the pig-sty again. The girl got ready to crush those bugs as she faced the PC. "Oh?" Futaba noticed a request for a video chat from Fuuka, accepting it. **{Hello, Alibaba.}** The woman was glad that the girl looked well. "C-Call me Futaba." Fuuka nodded at the request before donning a serious expression. **{Now, shall we put an end to Medjed's plan?}**


	50. Chapter 50

Akira and Morgana were unable to interact with Futaba once she was in a roll, squashing Medjed along with Fuuka. "Man, this place is... yeesh..." The cat twisted his nose at the smell of garbage. "Let's clean the place up." Akira just knew that he would do all the work, but complied, starting with the newspapers carpeting the room. "Ow, those soda cans reek!" Morgana was miserable, his sensitive noggin' was under assault from the dirty food packages. "Careful with those figurines, they're a treasure for people like her." The teen set up the bed so the cat wouldn't get on the shelves.

Mitsuru had checked on Fuuka, intrigued to hear she hadn't gone home for the day, only to find her tapping away at the keyboard and flicking her eyes from the screen to screen. _"Those hackers sound panicked..."_ There was one monitor showing the Medjed forum, where their fans called for the cleansing and the members were desperate for orders or explanations, as they were being tripped by someone more skilled. _"Oh, quite clever."_ The homepage was altered from the poisonous green into the crimson of the Phantoms and the thieves' logo was proudly on display.

Teen and feline were dozing off as they waited for Futaba, lulled by the clicking noises. "I'm doooooone!" They were started into alert and asked if she had really solved the hacker issue. "They're done for." Morgana wanted details, but Futaba had focused on the fact that her room got cleaned. "So Medjed was neutralized?" The girl had gotten used to the mess, so even the floor was a new sight. "This is good." With this, she unceremoniously pulled out a pillow and began snoring away while still facing the PC. "She must have burned out..." Akira sighed, stretching his joints before moving Futaba to her bed. "We should go to sleep as well."

**~m~**

As the police officers and attorneys milled about in the Prosecutor's Office, Naoto found herself blindsided by a hug from behind. "All righty~ I heard Medjed got beaten, serves 'em right." Mikumo had a radiant grin at this victory for the thieves. Mitsuru had informed her fellow boss about her subordinate's actions with Futaba, apparently, they crippled Japan's branch of those hackers. Although she wished the girl hadn't doxxed the culprits, as Fuuka had claimed she wasn't to blame. "Psst, four o'clock." The senior dropped her smile, got off her junior, and began talking about their assignments for the day.

The prosecutor wasn't happy at the news of Medjed's defeat, scowling at the chatter about the Phantoms. "Stress is the enemy of beauty, you know." She wasn't in the mood for Akechi's usual pleasantries. "I do understand how you feel." The odious Phantom logo in that site signaled their triumph, but it also implied that the police hadn't acted at all against the virtual threat. "To claim that they are just... Don't make me laugh." Akechi wondered who had beaten them, figuring there was someone with more cyber-knowhow to not leave tracks after razing them.

"Either way, the Phantoms are being credited for Medjed's defeat." The woman was scorned at the fact, those criminals were being touted as better than law officers. "I'm beginning to suspect mass manipulation of some kind..." The teen detective was serious. "It's even possible that a powerful person is behind them, plotting the psychotic breakdowns..." A barking laugh made them turn to the source, Mikumo was needling Naoto about an event from her high-school days. "You won by a landslide! What a ladykiller lady~" Niijima had frowned, recalling Shirogane's words back in Leblanc. _"Meddling in my business..."_

The older detective had a strained smile, feeling the urge to make Akechi need a dentist. "Can you stop? This shouldn't be discussed here." Naoto had a grounding grip on her arm and attempted to redirect her attention, the woman was a ticking bomb. "For the sake of my justice... I won't forgive them." She quickly began asking about Mikumo's past with Badou and the Yatagarasu, anchoring her still and away from that liar. "Yanno, I really wanted to have a chance to repay that bastard for sullying their name. Good riddance to bad rubbish." The pair left the area before there was a blowup. "What a temper..."

**~m~**

Akira wondered how Futaba would fit among the teens, considering she was already attriting with Yusuke in the group chat. "Hey, is this really going to be OK?" Morgana worried for the unsocial girl, they'd have to find a way to lessen her agoraphobia and get used to crowds. "Dunno, time will tell." In the meanwhile, the thieves would hammer away at the walls she put up for isolation, and Makoto was being rather forceful about her methods. _"She's the 'sink or swims' type, how strict..."_ The leader hoped that the girl could cope with the more... earnest members of the band.

She and Yusuke had called the leader to go and make Futaba get used to them, paying a visit to her room. The guy had seen the temptation Makoto held within when they were met with a strange doll head-mask-thing. _"Sojiro should have chucked that creepy thing away."_ Makoto was doing her best to make idle talk with Futaba, failing magnifically. _"Should I call those two? She seems to like superhero series... Ah!"_ He got alarmed when he spotted Yusuke messing with the action figures of the Featherman team. "Don't-" He cringed when the figures got dismantled and put together improperly.

Futaba's scream was worthy of appearing in a horror movie. "Wh-What have you done... to my children...?" Now the cat understood why he was forbidden from hopping on the shelves. _"Goddamnit Yusuke!"_ The girl anguished over the ruination. _"... an otaku's worst nightmare..."_ Futaba and Yusuke got in a row, much like the detectives a while ago. "You wouldn't know aesthetics if it hit you in the face, Inari!" Well, at least her switch was flipped and she became quite eloquent with anger, unlike the stilted replies Makoto had gotten.

Next in the roster were the blondes, Ryuji and Ann had attempted to bond with her over snacks. There was one point when Ryuji began bragging about being a chick magnet. "... Wait. You don't believe a word I'm sayin', do you...?" Ann snorted at that, Futaba said he had zero sex-appeal, and Morgana said no real charmer should have to brag. "You should ask Shirogane for tips." Ryuji stared at Futaba. "A chick?! Do I look that lame?!" The blond couldn't believe his ears. "She used to be the Detective Prince, you know..." He whined over the stomping of his stud pride.

As for getting used to crowds, they figured that Futaba could use the controlled setting of Leblanc, as Sojiro and Akira would keep an eye for anything dangerous. "Nope, nope, nope!" The girl resisted the idea before relenting, it was a step necessary for the beach trip. "I could have her serve some people I know." The girl cowered at the prospect of meeting with strangers. "We'll be rootin' for ya." Once the blondes went home, Akira faced Futaba. "They're Phantoms too, so you will have to get used to them." Futaba wondered how many people from that list would pop up.

**~m~**

Futaba was staring at the trio who entered the cafe, not believing her eyes. _"So they are all Phantoms?"_ Now that she had seen that world, that database made sense. _"All those people must be former Persona Users..."_ Only Mikumo hadn't been in the list, so she must be part of the current 'generation'. "So you're the one from back then? Sorry for the scare." The senior smiled at the girl as she chose a booth. "Apologies for the fright, it wasn't our intention." Naoto still felt a little guilty for the incident. "N-No problemo! Uh, ah, can I get an autograph?" Sojiro was about to scold her for being pushy with a customer, but the idol said she didn't mind, taking out a courtesy photo and a pen.

"So, who should I dedicate it to?" "Sakura Futaba, please!" The males watched as Futaba gushed over Rise's past works, geeking at the chance. "Heh, it's nice to see her act like a girl her age." Once the excitement diminished, she let the woman take a seat. "Your orders?" Akira had brought over a plate of toast for the trio as Rise tried to find a good option on the menu. "I want the Red-Hot Special." "Habanero, with extra meat, 'kay?" "I'm in the mood for Mild." The teen went to prepare the coffee as the man watched over the curry. The idol had been given a break by the director, who announced that everybody working in the film had a free day. "So, you all got your bikinis ready? We do deserve to cut loose once in a while."

Rise shot Naoto a pointed look. "No chickening like in the Pageant." "Urgh..." Akira and Futaba got intrigued, it sounded juicy. "Hey, ask her later." "Roger." The women listened in as the elder mentioned the teens' beach trip. _"So they're going tomorrow?"_ Naoto felt the prickly stares, those two were actually planning to drag her there, if the need arose. _"At least I got to choose what to use."_ Goddamn Teddie and his insane 'bikini', that was no decent wear for a 'contest'. "I hope to get a nice tan~" There was a bottle of spicy sauce for those who wanted an additional kick, and the idol had used some on a few slices as she hummed a ditty. "Rise?"

She just snacked on the toast, uncaring of the quizzical looks around her. _"Man... she loves them peppers..."_ And the idol's order was making their eyes sting despite still being in the pot. _"At least it isn't Mystery Food X..."_ Four moods had taken a turn for the sour when a new customer entered the cafe. _"So that's the fake Prince." "Tch, it's your fault that Kei..." "... Should we tell Futaba?"_ Akira didn't mind that the girl cowered behind him, he even gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "What a coincidence." Akechi faced Akira with critical eyes. "Wait, aren't you...?" He presented himself to Sojiro. "Oh yeah, the one from the TV."

The teen had come on Niijima's recommendation, making the detectives frown slightly. _"After all you threatened to do to him?" "Two-faced bitch..."_ Sojiro got defensive, and if the guy wanted to fleece him for intel? "I already told her everything I know." Mikumo sighed and spoke up to defuse him. "Calm down, man. She got scolded by her superior." Mitsurugi had heard of how she had been badgering people and applied a reprimand. "Ah, to meet two of my seniors as well..." Naoto and Mikumo would rather have avoided him a little longer. "I just came to enjoy coffee, sir." Akechi had seen the plate and took a slice. "That was mine..."

The youth smiled at Naoto, ignoring the protest. "It's a pleasure to meet my predecessor. Pity, it took so long-" The two detectives reacted too late to warn him as he bit the bread. "Oh dear..." They grimaced at the inelegant way the teen upchucked and ran to the loo. "He looked like a jalapeño..." Rise put up a tiny victory smirk, he got his deserved reward for stealing and was now suffering in the bathroom. "I don't see the big deal, the kick isn't that strong. Weenie." Naoto sighed, having heard of Yukiko's knockout via red omelet. "That's why you don't mess with other's food... I expect him to learn from this."

**~m~**

After some social acclimatization, Futaba was eager to go to the beach. Sojiro was uneasy at having to let the girl leave his sight, even if for a few hours. "Make sure you don't let any dudes try to hit on her." Akira wondered if the man was the type to enforce dating curfew with a bat. "Hey, can we go already?" The girl was antsy and fidgeted with anticipation. "Have fun, but be careful you two." Akira nodded as Futaba clung to his shirt, guiding her to meet the others at the train station. "As long you stay close to one of us, things will be fine, OK?"

The teens had seen the floats and jetski rental place as they walked to the changing booths. "S-So many people..." Futaba took solace in being with the Phantoms, for there was safety in numbers. "Hmm... This scenery... yes, it holds potential." Yusuke had already whipped out a pencil and sketchbook, staring intensely at the shimmering sea. "Dude, watch your tone..." Ryuji felt a chill down his spine at the artist's enthusiasm. "And try not to stare where people are, or you'll be marked a pervert." Makoto hoped there would be no contretemps to sour this outing.

Futaba rushed at the building by the beach. "Kitty!" She was tugging at the fluffy cheeks of the feline. _"Don't scratch her, please."_ The red cloth was familiar... "Hey, isn't he that detective's pet?" The thieves recognized the blackie by the door as it perked up at their presence. "If Sissel's here..." The kitten got up and went to bother Morgana. "Hey, watch the fur!" "We'll be fast, just tolerate him for a few minutes." As the cat protested the task given, Akira prayed to not be forced into anything weird. _"And we have to keep Futaba safe from harm..."_


	51. Chapter 51

A car was parked close to the beach. "Alright! Today will be a day without work talk! Understood...?" Mikumo shot Yuugami and Naoto pointed looks as they unloaded the gear. "Fine." Kokone and Minuki held up a large parasol and some tote bags. "Heave-ho, it's nice to take a break from the agency, thanks for the invite." The senior detective grinned as they set up a spot on the sand. "Don't sweat it, 'kay? Just have fun." The noise of the waves and the chatter of the visitors was strangely soothing, although there was a gaudy man with heart sunglasses screaming something.

Naoto hadn't expected that there would be an entire group tagging along for the break, but it couldn't be helped. Rise had come with some of her fellow cast and was already getting changed. _"Will we meet them here?"_ There was the possibility that those teenagers would go to another portion of the beach. "Give it back!" She looked at Yuugami with pity, he had to deal with an attorney and magician in Naruhodo's behalf. "Shirogane, don't let her close to anything of value, she loves disappearing tricks." The detective nodded at the order, he had lost his wallet a few times to her sticky fingers.

The prosecutor sat down and waved at the women. "Go change, I'll keep watch." The detective got rushed into the changing rooms by her friends. "Don't dawdle, we're goin' ahead!" Mikumo had her suit under her clothes and sped to the beach, leaving the others behind. "Honestly..." The ones from the agency were quick to change and also rushed to the sea. _"They left me to watch over their gear..."_ Naoto shook her head at their haste and did things at her own pace. _"Ah? was that Makoto?"_ She heard familiar voices, the girls were telling Futaba not to worry.

Akira was waiting with the guys and the squabbling cats, blocking Ryuji's grumbling over his leader's muscle tone. "Dude, you're fuckin' ripped..." The blond pouted at his boss, dismayed that his biceps were thinner. "Man, I shouldn't have skipped so many 'arm day's..." Akira noticed that somebody had exited the changing booths, it was Naoto. "Ohh~ Dude this' jackpot! Look at her- ow!" He elbowed the thug for the outburst as the woman got a stiff smile at the catcall. "Hello, Akira." He got up and approached her. "Um, if you are here, are the others around too?"

"Yes, look there." Naoto pointed at two streaks on the ocean, Rise and Mikumo were racing on jetskis. "Mew!" Sissel jumped on her arms as Morgana groomed his messed fur. "This smoothness is hard to maintain!" As they chatted the girls showed up, with Ann teasing Ryuji for getting tongue-tied. "Aren't you missing one?" Makoto went back in and took away the towel covering Futaba's face. "You'll be just fine." Akira sighed, the girl was still sorely crowd-shy. "At least she's trying. ... Is there a problem?" The young hacker unabashedly stared at Naoto. "You got huge knockers- mm-!"

Makoto had slapped a hand over her mouth and scolded her. "There are things you only think!" The woman had a stiff smile at Futaba's bluntness and put a hoodie on before turning to leave. "Well... I'll go ahead." Makoto felt awkward, Futaba's lack of tact would have to be addressed once they returned. "Pah-! I almost suffocated!" The girl escaped the grip, she had only stated a fact. "Ahem, let's find a spot for us before doing anything?" The group nodded, planning on enjoying this day to the fullest.

**~m~**

The thieves settled by a girl doing magic tricks to a small crowd as an evil-eyed man rested under the parasol. "Dude, he looks ridiculous with that hoodie..." Which kind of sane person would come to this place with a blatant otaku garb? "It got to be a gag gift..." The monochrome bear and bunny on a pink background was a mismatch with that grim face. "Hrm...?" Ryuji instantly began whistling innocently when the guy glared at the teens. "Crap, he heard..." Thankfully the guy got distracted when a girl with long hair and an orca float came after a clean towel, dripping seawater all over the place. "Jin, I need to borrow some money!"

Futaba was entertained by the card tricks, attempting to figure the sleights of hand the magician used. "See these magic panties?" The crowd wondered what she'd pull. "Three, two, one-" A black kitten came out. "Wow! When did she grab it?" Sissel snorted at the wonderment. "Now, I'll need two towels." Minuki also asked to borrow Morgana and set him by the kitten. "I hope it's not dangerous..." Sissel gave him a smug look to taunt him. "You little..." But this was cut short as the girl bundled the cats in each towel, holding it like sacks. "Three, two, one-" The magician did a twirl before revealing that the felines had swapped places. "Oy, when did she-?!"

Akira smiled at how Futaba cheered at the magic, giving up on figuring it. "Hey, what a coincidence!" Kyouya and Mikumo had arrived, grabbing the water bottles and making Jin grumble over getting water on him. "Hn, I'll swim." The blond prosecutor chuckled at the curt chat, laying down on a towel to bask. "It seems to be my turn to be the guard." The man offered to watch over the teens' belongings as well. "Go ahead, trust me." The girls asked Mikumo about where to rent the floats. "That'a'way, you can't miss it." The detective then ran to the food stalls with Minuki on tow.

The trio of girls had gone to the rental, leaving the guys behind. "Aw man, leavin' the borin' job to us? Come on, let's leave Mona on watch and let's go get cute girls!" Akira refused adamantly, so the blond could only drag the poor artist to his doomed plan. "Yo Joker, stay alert, I'll look around." Morgana had wandered away, leaving Akira with a drowsy prosecutor and a blackie on his lap, so he decided to people-watch for now. _"... I'm getting bored..."_ He perked up at some familiar voices. "Where are everybody?" Naoto arrived with Rise, making the teen cheer internally for his decision. "They're all over the beach, I'm on watch duty for all this stuff."

The pair took their seats and dried off. "Man, I never thought I'd see a wardrobe malfunction..." The idol had a grimace, the dumb director lost his trunks and got chewed by his manager. "This reminds me, I found a piece of lost swimming wear, back then." Rise stared at Naoto, wondering if she heard right. "And?" The detective fished the details from her memory. "I batted it back to the water, there was a squid tangled on it." Rise had a look of disbelief and Akira wondered if there was some punchline he was missing. _"Alright, this sounds like it's going to a weird place."_

The teen got up, forcing Sissel to jump to Rise, and offered to get something from the food stalls. "Check if they have takoyaki." Rise was about to tell her order as well, but then something struck her. _"Wait, lost clothes plus that thing..."_ She faced her friend with a serious face. "Just a curiosity, but what was it?" She wondered why the idol was so insistent. "A black speedo, why?" Naoto and Akira were intrigued when Rise began turning green at the gills. "Oh gods, so that's why Kanji...! That sicko!" She facepalmed with mortification, finally understanding that weird scene.

"'Birth of Venus' my foot, the guy was buck naked!" Akira felt second-hand shame at the scene evoked. _"What else happened...?"_ The teen was highly invested in the anecdote, wondering if Kanji had managed to recover his missing speedo. "Ah, the seaweed... oh my..." Naoto got a grimace and covered her face, that memory became much worse with this tidbit. _"Seaweed? Birth of Venus? What the hell?"_ Akira then wondered if Ryuji would end up suffering a similar mishap. "So... what can I get for you, Rise?" He had an awkward smile, he could have gone without the imagery currently burned to his brain.

**~m~**

Futaba had laid claim for the first seat on the float, eager to start the session. "Hold on tight, sometimes it can bounce from the speed." Warnings given, the rental personnel revved the boat, towing the trio. "Whoohoo~!" The wind and the water hit them, the youngest girl was thrilled with the experience. "Eh-!" The banana had bounced on the water, the slippery handles made it hard for the young girl to keep a grip and she fell in the deep area. "Damn!" The waves were making it worse, pushing her away from the crowd. Ann and Makoto warned the pilot, who cut the trip short so they could call a lifeguard.

The girl was treading water, struggling to keep her head above. _"EH?! SHARK?!"_ Futaba had seen a blur in the water and began shivering with fear. The thieves had warned a life-saver about the girl in distress, but before the guy could hop into action, someone had already rescued her. The hacker was draped over his shoulder and was shaking like a kitten. "You lost something?" Ann recognized the prosecutor, his white streak and height were unmistakable. "Thanks, sir." Futaba looked like a timid newly hatched chick as she took cover behind her group.

"Mister Panda... Sorry for causing trouble." Jin's face twitched at that as the crowd hid their amusement, Makoto hastily thought a way to change the subject. "Er, we should go get some food and come down from this scare." Ann noticed some guys leering at her and her friends. "Yuugami, can you come with us?" He followed her side-eye and nodded. "Don't wander off." His imposing frame made the creeps back off, they didn't want to risk getting a shiner. Futaba had clung to him, feeling an aura similar to Akira's, resembling a duckling hanging behind a hawk. "There you are! ¡Espera por mí!"

Kokone joined the group and recognized the girl cowering behind the prosecutor. "Salut! You look much better since last time." The attorney was curious, Futaba had done a complete shift from that depressed shut-in into this cheery girl who did her best to overcome her walls. _"Didn't Jin mention something about mental breakdowns?"_ Kokone prayed that whatever method had been used to help the girl wouldn't have a horrible collateral effect. "Excuse me, are you Kizuki, the attorney?"

Makoto was interested in knowing a little better about the court and the law system, maybe she'd have a different perspective from Sae's pessimism. "Sí, ¿por qué?" After presenting herself as a Niijima, Kokone had grimaced. "Sorry to say this, but your sister is quite the pendeja..." Makoto had feared this, neither Naoto or Mikumo had good opinions about the prosecutor as well. "T-That was expected... So don't feel bad." The girl began asking the young attorney about her past cases, intrigued about the orca's and magician's trials. "Aw shucks... Those were solved by my seniors. But I can tell you some details."

Ann had been lost in thoughts as those two chatted. "Hey, how's the Suzui lass?" She faced the man with a start. "I hope her going to the court didn't tax her body." Ann reassured him that her friend was on the path to recovery. "Good to know." He let out an annoyed huff when Futaba's grip made his trunks slide dangerously low, pulling them up and giving her a stern look. "Watch it, robin." She squawked out an apology and transferred her hold to Ann. "So, what are you going to eat?"

**~m~**

Ryuji had attempted to pick up a lady among the beach-goers, dragging Yusuke along for the ride. Try as he might, despite being a thief of hearts, his skills only applied to the Metaverse, he and Yusuke were failing epically at getting positive responses. That is... until he bumped on a trio of women. "Oh, shit..." He had attracted three that he definitively didn't want to ever meet again. "Look, Hanako, he has good eyes." The thin' n' thick duo had smiles aimed at them. "Hmm... You whippersnappers are far too young for me, I'd rather have a mature stud. Oh, Mittchan, why did you accept that greenhorn...?"

The pair felt chills down their spines, did a 180, and ran the hell outta dodge. "This wasn't supposed to happen!" The blond heaved to recover his energy, only to notice something off. "Damn, where did Yusuke go?" He shrugged, figuring the artist could find his way to where Akira was. _"I'm in the mood for some soda, gotta get money..."_ As he trudged back, he felt a smidgen better, as his leader had to stay with the boring duty of watching their stuff. "Eh... no way...!" When Ryuji had spotted his leader chatting with some gorgeous women, he almost spat lightning from the mammoth envy in his heart.

"Fuckin' come on, dude!" Mikumo and Minuki wondered what was going on. "Ryuji?" Akira faced the blond with a quizzical face. "How the hell did you attract these babes?!" Rise and Naoto were reminded of a certain duo. "RRAAGH‼ Do you have any idea of what I just had to shake off my tail?! I got stiffed while you were chattin' up these hotties!" The women began tuning out the tantrum, finishing their drinks, and checking the message backlog in their phones as the teen struggled to pacify the ape-shit blond. "Why are guys obsessed with scoring dates?" "Don't ask me."

Akira then recalled one detail, there was a person unaccounted for. "Um, didn't you take Yusuke with you?" Speaking of the devil, he popped up with two lobsters on hands. "Dude, where did you get those?" He had been bewitched by these specimens that were on sale. "... You got money for the fare?" Yusuke's blanching was enough. "Ya can hitch a ride with us, but it'll be a squeeze." Mikumo took pity on the pauper artist. "Or... ask for spare cash from someone, like him." The detective pointed at the sleeping beauty on the sand. "By the way, shouldn't the gals be done with the banana ride?"

It was then that Jin arrived with his entourage. "Yo, panda, nice harem~" Mikumo didn't seem to notice the irate glower as she resumed her chat with Rise over trips to ski lodges. "Irksome lass..." He clicked his tongue and took a spot in the shade and snoozed as well. "Hm..." The magician had an impish smile once she noticed both prosecutors were conked out. Minuki started to bury the men in the sand with the other teens tagging along in the effort. "Mwehehe, this is fun~" Yusuke had a stroke of inspiration once Kyouya was fully covered. "Could I ask for your assistance?"

The group had devilish grins and saluted at the request. "Roger~" "Kek, today's good!" Naoto smiled with amusement, the males didn't even twitch when they began patting down the sand so Yusuke could perform his art. "I'll go get more drinks, 'kay?" Mikumo didn't want to miss the show, but she was parched. "Don't worry, I'll take a photo." Yusuke had called for his minions to gather some implements to improve his art. - Mikumo spat out the soda with a guffaw when she saw the masterpieces. "Bwahaha! Beached mermaids! Shutter chance!" There were even shell bras and seaweed panties.

Kyouya was roused by the cackling and noticed the camera. "Oh dear." _"Might as well play along."_ He donned a charming smile for the photoshoot, whereas Jin got a twitching brow as he struggled to tamp down his outrage. _"I come to have a break, and this happens..."_ The entire group took turns to take photos, there were even tourists asking for a picture. _"Oh, Rise forgot her phone..."_ Akira took the chance and grabbed it before it auto-locked, searching for the contact list. _"Yosuke and Teddie..."_ He committed the numbers to memory, he had some questions that he dared not to ask the women.

**~m~**

On the train back home, the thieves were starting to get sore from all the activities they did and the slight sunburn. Futaba and Ann were nodding off while leaning on each other, Makoto struggled to keep her eyes open, Yusuke had his hoodie up as he held to the cooler tank for his lobsters, and Ryuji had sprawled on the seats to sleep, they were lucky to catch a mostly empty wagon. "To think the beach could be this fun..." Morgana had a wistful face, wondering what he could have done if he were human. "Hey, you've been typing for a while, with who you're chatting with?"

The teen stopped to give the cat a few scritches. "A member of Naoto's previous team, he's quite fun." Morgana read some of the messages, cringing at the sheer amount of puns the guy crammed in. "By the way, I think he could tell you how to become human." The cat got starry eyes and forcefully extracted a promise to set a video chat, he wanted to talk directly to this Teddie fellow. "Alright, just wait until we get to a place with decent Wi-fi." Akira had speed-chatted with him, convincing the former Shadow that he was in the know by giving details provided by Naoto and Rise.

[My beary honed instincts tell me something... You sound like a cool dude!] It was the moment of the truth, the leap of faith. [Can you tell me how their Shadows looked like? We met one who looked like an Egyptian queen.] The bear took his sweet time to reply, there was even a ping of 'read'. _"Why the silence?"_ The reply surpassed the screen limit, extending the page for miles. [Can't, they'll skin me and use my skin like a bear rug and cover me with salt and make a stew and-] Wow, Teddie was really freaked out by the chance of getting found out snitching, he was rattling out the ways he'd be tortured before being put out of his misery.

 _"I can't fault him..."_ He still felt dejected by the failure and pocketed the phone. _"Today's mission was a success, we helped Futaba make great memories."_ He smiled as he watched over his team, who was dozing off from the busy day and the tram's rumbling. "That Sissel fellow is a sadist..." Morgana grimaced as he curled up on Akira's lap. "I expect you to brush my fur thoroughly, I think I still have sand and salt..." The teen nodded, watching the scenery flit by, colored orange by the setting sun.


End file.
